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Florida legislature approves new congressional map intended to boost Republicans in midterms

2026-04-29T19:22:14.619Z / Associated Press, CNN Politics

State senators listen to debate on SB 8-D, a redistricting bill, during a special session of the Florida Legislature in Tallahassee, Florida, on Wednesday.

Mike Stewart/AP

The Florida Legislature on Wednesday approved a new congressional map intended to maximize Republicans’ advantage in the state as part of the national redistricting battle that President Donald Trump launched ahead of this year’s midterms.

The vote came just two days after Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled his proposal and the same day that the US Supreme Court rolled back a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. The decision could make it harder for Democrats to challenge Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts in ways that limit the influence of nonwhite voters.

DeSantis’ map could increase Republicans’ advantage in Florida’s House delegation to 24 to 4, up from the current split of 20 to 8. The potential four-seat gain is the same as what Virginia Democrats expect from a recent redistricting referendum, which is being challenged in state court there.

Florida’s new map is certain to face lawsuits as well, especially because the state constitution prohibits redistricting for explicitly partisan purposes. DeSantis and his aides believe those provisions will not be a legal barrier because they have been weakened previously by the Florida Supreme Court and again by Wednesday’s US Supreme Court ruling.

A state senator’s laptop displays a proposed congressional redistricting plan during debate on SB 8-D on Wednesday.

Mike Stewart/AP

Florida Republicans, comfortable in their supermajority in both legislative chambers, said little about the new districts during the whirlwind special session. The measure’s sponsor, Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, Republican of Fort Myers, limited her remarks to careful answers about an “evolving legal landscape” as Democrats asked her about the redistricting effort.

“I believe that there is a likelihood that that map will be upheld against legal challenge,” Persons-Mulicka said.

Democrats decried it as a partisan power play to satisfy Trump and hurt the majority of registered Florida voters who are not Republicans.

“Y’all are doing this because y’all’s daddy in the White House is injecting national political objectives into what should be a state-driven process,” Rep. Michele Rayner, Democrat of St. Petersburg, told her Republican colleagues.

A WWII-era gift, historic speech and more highlights from King Charles’ visit to Washington, D.C.

2026-04-29 12:32 PM EDT / CBS News

By Emily Mae Czachor News Editor
Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She typically covers breaking news, extreme weather and issues involving social justice. Emily Mae previously wrote for outlets like the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.

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King Charles gifted President Trump a British World War II relic with his name on it, delivered rousing remarks to Congress, and cracked quite a few historical jokes during his state visit to Washington, D.C., alongside Queen Camilla

Here are some of the standout moments and photos from their visit:

Charles gifts Trump WWII-era submarine bell

The king presented Mr. Trump with an original bell that once hung aboard the HMS Trump, a British submarine used during World War II. The bell bore an inscription that read “Trump 1944.”

President Trump and Britain’s King Charles III smile beside the original bell from the HMS Trump, a World War II-era submarine inscribed “Trump 1944,” a gift from the king, during a state dinner at the White House on April 28, 2026. Henry Nicholls /AFP via Getty Images

The bell from the HMS Trump, gifted by King Charles III to President Trump. Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty Images

In remarks at the dinner, Charles focused on the relationship between the U.K. and U.S. that has grown over the 250 years since America declared independence from Britain. He praised America’s “audacious and visionary act of self-determination” when it broke from the British Empire and said he was there “to renew an indispensable alliance.”

“Our people have fought and fallen together in defense of the values we cherish,” the king said.

Charles also cracked a few historical jokes. In one, he referenced the ballroom Mr. Trump is looking to build on the grounds of the White House after the demolition of the East Wing.

“I cannot help noticing readjustments to the East Wing. I’m sorry to say that we British, of course, made our own small attempt at real estate development in the White House in 1814,” the king quipped.

State dinner guests included justices, tech leaders

Tuesday’s state dinner was a highly anticipated event on the British monarchs’ travel itinerary, with a formal dress code and a guest list including a roster of tech industry giants, business moguls and government leaders.

Ahead of the official state dinner, President Trump and first lady Melania Trump posed for a photo with King Charles and Queen Camilla in the Grand Foyer of the White House on April 28, 2026. Alex Brandon / AP

On the list, released by first lady Melania Trump’s office, were the Supreme Court’s six conservative justices, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook and Paramount CEO David Ellison, among others. (Paramount Skydance is the parent company of CBS News.)

Administration officials in attendance included Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Three of the president’s children, Eric, Ivanka and Tiffany, were also there with their spouses.

Guests at the state dinner with Queen Camilla and King Charles III in the East Room of the White House on April 28, 2026. Craig Hudson / The Washington Post / Bloomberg via Getty Images

At the dinner, Charles referenced previous comments by Mr. Trump aimed at European allies he claims are not paying their fair share on defense.

“You recently commented, Mr. President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German,” the British monarch said, adding: “Dare I say that, if it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking French.”

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump toast King Charles at a state dinner at the White House on April 28, 2026. Craig Hudson/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

Charles addressed Congress

The king became the first British monarch in more than three decades to address Congress, when he delivered a speech Tuesday before a joint meeting at the U.S. Capitol. He and Camilla received a standing ovation from a packed House chamber when they arrived.

King Charles III addresses a joint meeting of Congress on April 28, 2026. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

“America’s words carry weight and meaning, as they have since independence. The actions of this great nation matter even more. President Lincoln understood this so well, with his reflection in the magisterial Gettysburg Address that the world may little note what we say, but will never forget what we do,” the king said in his speech, which lasted almost 30 minutes.

“And so, to the United States of America, on your 250th birthday, let our two countries rededicate ourselves to each other in the selfless service of our peoples and of all the peoples of the world.”

The king leaves Congress after addressing the joint meeting Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Kylie Cooper/Pool via AP

Charles’ congressional remarks also included some levity. He kicked off the speech with a joke: “And for all of that time, our destinies as Nations have been interlinked. As Oscar Wilde said, ‘We really have everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language!’”

A military flyover and cannon salute at welcome ceremony

Charles and Camilla were welcomed to the White House with an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn, which included a military flyover and cannon salute.

A state arrival ceremony welcomed King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the White House for a visit with President Trump on April 28, 2026. Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images

Mr. Trump delivered remarks at the ceremony, sharing that his late mother “loved” the royal family and referencing the “special relationship” between the U.S. and U.K.

King Charles and President Trump shake hands during an arrival ceremony held on the South Lawn of the White House. Julia Demaree Nikhinson / AP

“That understanding of our nation’s unique bond and role in history is the essence of our special relationship,” the president said. “And we hope it will always remain that way.”

President Trump, King Charles, Queen Camilla and first lady Melania Trump stand on a White House balcony during the arrival ceremony for the British monarchs. Kevin Lamarque / REUTERS

Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla with President Trump and first lady Melania Trump during the welcome ceremony. Allison Robbert/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

Oval Office meeting

After finishing his remarks at the arrival ceremony, Mr. Trump, the first lady and the British royals observed a military procession and then entered the White House for talks that were closed to members of the press.

The president and the king entered the Oval Office just before noon, with the first lady and the queen following behind. Mr. Trump and Charles held a bilateral meeting, which the president later called “really good.”

“It was a really good meeting. He’s a fantastic person. They’re incredible people and it’s a real honor,” he said.

President Trump and King Charles meet in the Oval Office of the White House. Alex Brandon / AP

Caroline Linton, Joe Walsh and Kathryn Watson contributed to this report.

‘Shark Tank’ star backs Trump’s White House ballroom plan amid security concerns: ‘It’s bipartisan’

April 29, 2026 3:51pm EDT / Fox News

O’Leary says the $400M project would showcase the ‘American Dream’ and serve future presidents of both parties

By Kiera McDonald Fox News

“Shark Tank” star and investor Kevin O’Leary backed President Donald Trump’s push for a White House ballroom as a way to showcase the “American Dream” and serve future administrations of both parties, days after the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting.

“I don’t think the ballroom’s a partisan issue, it’s bipartisan because one day there’ll be a Democratic president that’ll use the ballroom,” O’Leary told Fox News Digital.

The comments come as congressional Republicans push to approve the ballroom following the shooting at the Washington Hilton ballroom during the annual event attended by hundreds of journalists and Cabinet officials. Lawmakers believe this would offer a secure venue for future events.

O’Leary argued the project, opposed by many Democrats, would also elevate the “American brand” on the world stage.

REPUBLICANS EYE PICKING UP $400M TAB FOR TRUMP’S BALLROOM AS SOME DEMS OPEN TO ‘DISCUSS’ IDEA

Kevin O’Leary visits the set of “Outnumbered” at Fox News Channel Studios in New York City on April 18, 2024.(Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

“I want the ballroom because I believe in pomp and circumstance, the American brand,” he added.

He said the nation’s image is more than just the economy.

“People think it’s exporting technology or exporting energy,” he said. “It’s not. It’s the American Dream and so you want to showcase that.”

He added the ballroom would bring this image to life.

“Let’s get that ballroom fired up and show the world the American Dream,” he said. “That’s what it is.”

He noted the project would not rely on taxpayer dollars. President Trump said the project would be privately financed through personal contributions and outside donors.

WALZ REPEATS DEBUNKED CLAIM THAT TRUMP CONSIDERS WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM ‘TOP PRIORITY’

President Donald Trump holds a rendering of the planned White House Ballroom extension during a meeting in the Oval Office with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Oct. 22, 2025, in Washington, D.C.(Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg)

“My lobbyist over here said the taxpayers are not paying for it,” he said. “So then why not let them have a ballroom? I don’t get it.”

However, Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Katie Britt, R-Ala., and Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., proposed new legislation this week that would fund the project using customs fees on imports to cover the cost.

A lawsuit and court-ordered injunction halted construction of the 90,000-square-foot, $400 million ballroom. A federal court ruled in March that construction must stop without congressional approval, but an appeal allowed limited below-ground construction to continue.

O’Leary addressed Saturday’s shooting, saying it unfolded “at a moment’s notice.”

“No one was hurt, thank goodness,” he said. “I think there’ll be a lot of investigations on that stuff.”

The suspect was identified as Cole Allen, 31, of Torrance, Calif. He is facing charges of attempting to assassinate the President of the United States, transporting a firearm across state lines and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

STEPHEN A SMITH TELLS POLITICIANS, MEDIA TO STOP GIVING ‘LIP SERVICE’ ON CIVILITY AFTER WHCA DINNER SHOOTING

Agents stand guard after an incident at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner in Washington, D.C., on April 25, 2026.(Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Authorities said the suspect sent a manifesto to family members outlining his intent to target President Trump and other Cabinet officials.

President Trump said at a news conference Saturday night the shooting reinforces the need for a White House ballroom.

“We need the ballroom,” he said. “That’s why the Secret Service, that’s why the military are demanding it. They’ve wanted the ballroom for 150 years for lots of different reasons. But today is a little bit different, because today we need levels of security that probably nobody’s ever seen before.”

O’Leary expressed doubts about the future of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and raised concerns about securing large-scale events.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“I also wonder about long-term if that dinner’s going to survive, because providing the security for 2,600 people is next to impossible,” he said.

Fox News Digital’s Adam Pack and Alex Miller contributed to this report.

Kiera McDonald is a Production Assistant for Fox News Digital.

Afghan man convicted of conspiracy in deadly suicide bombing at Kabul airport during US withdrawal

2026-04-29 2:19 PM ET / Associated Press

This courtroom sketch depicts Justice Department prosecutor John Gibbs speaking as defense attorneys Lauren Rosen, Geremy Kamens, from center middle seated, defendant Mohammad Sharifullah, and an interpreter, listen along with Judge Anthony John Trenga during the opening day of the trial for Sharifullah in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, Monday, April 20, 2026. (Dana Verkouteren via AP)

Dana Verkouteren/AP

An alleged Islamic State militant was convicted on Wednesday of a conspiracy charge in a deadly suicide bombing at a Kabul airport during the US military’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

Mohammad Sharifullah faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years after his one-count conviction in an international terrorism case that President Donald Trump heralded last year during a speech to a joint session of Congress. Sharifullah didn’t testify at his weeklong trial.

Approximately 160 Afghans and 13 US service members were killed in the August 26, 2021, attack at the airport, where US troops were conducting an evacuation operation when a lone suicide bomber detonated an improvised explosive device near an entry point known as Abbey Gate.

A federal jury in Virginia convicted Sharifullah of providing material support to an Islamic State regional branch known as ISIS-K. But the jurors deadlocked on whether any deaths at the airport “resulted from” that conspiracy.

Sharifullah could have faced a possible life sentence if the jury had unanimously decided that question.

Sharifullah didn’t appear to have any visible reaction to the verdict. US District Judge Anthony Trenga didn’t immediately set a date for Sharifullah’s sentencing.

Defense attorney Lauren Rosen argued that prosecutors failed to present any evidence tying Sharifullah to the bombing besides his own words during hours of FBI questioning. Rosen said Sharifullah told FBI agents what he thought they wanted to hear, possibly because he was afraid of being tortured in Pakistani custody before he was brought to the US.

“The problem was, he didn’t know much about what actually happened that day,” Rosen told jurors during the trial’s closing arguments. “The government has told you nothing about how this attack actually happened.”

Justice Department prosecutor Ryan White said Sharifullah played a crucial role in planning the Abbey Gate bombing and was involved in several other attacks by ISIS-K, including its March 2024 attack at a Moscow concert hall that killed roughly 140 people.

“The defendant thought nothing of killing,” White said. “For him, it was just another day at the office.”

A review by US Central Command found that the Abbey Gate bomber was Abdul Rahman al-Logari, an Islamic State group militant who had been released from an Afghan prison by the Taliban. Sharifullah recognized the alleged bomber as an operative he had known while incarcerated, according to an FBI affidavit.

A former Marine testified to Congress that he and others had spotted two possible suspects behaving suspiciously on the morning of the bombing but didn’t get permission to act. However, the Central Command review concluded that the snipers hadn’t seen the actual bomber and that the attack was not preventable.

A prosecutor assigned to the Abbey Gate case was fired last year after a right-wing commentator publicly criticized him over his work during President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration. Michael Ben’Ary’s ouster was part of a broader purge of Justice Department veterans deemed to be insufficiently loyal to Trump, a Republican.

Iran conflict has cost $25 billion so far as Hegseth is questioned by Congress on overall strategy

April 29, 2026 / 1:00 PM EDT / CBS News

The cost of the conflict in Iran is about $25 billion at this point, according to an estimate from the acting comptroller Jules Hurst, who revealed the number in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee Wednesday.

Hurst is appearing alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine regarding the Defense Department’s $1.5 trillion budget request. This is the first time Hegseth has publicly testified on the Hill since last June, months before the war in Iran began.

The questions have focused on the Pentagon’s efforts to ramp up production of critical munitions and ships to deter a threat like China, and some Democrats have so far questioned the Trump administration’s overall Iran strategy regarding Iran, now that talks seem stalled.

Democrat Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking member of the committee, said President Trump’s remarks earlier this month that Iran had agreed to give up everything, including its nuclear program and its hold on the Strait of Hormuz, have not been borne out.

“So wish fulfillment is not really a strategy,” Smith said. “What we need to hear today is what is going to work.”

Hegseth in his opening remarks said he expected questions on Iran and criticized Congress, telling the committee that “the biggest adversary we face, at this point, are the reckless, feckless, and defeatist words of congressional Democrats and some Republicans, two months in.”

He said his generation remembers how long the conflicts of Iraq and Afghanistan lasted, and this is just two months into “an existential fight for the safety of the American people.” At the outset of the war, President Trump said it would only last about four to six weeks.

The chairman of the committee, GOP Rep. Mike Rogers, in his opening remarks noted that “global munition stockpiles are low, and we lack the capacity to rapidly restock magazine depth.”

Hegseth outlined efforts to encourage industry to ramp up production of critical munitions, saying the Defense Department had identified 14 critical munitions, including Patriot and THAAD interceptors as well as these missile systems: SM-3s, SM-6s, AMRAAMS, JASSMS and PrSMS.

Florida Republicans approve congressional map aimed at flipping four Democratic seats

2026-04-29 7:12 PM UTC / Reuters

April 29 (Reuters) – Florida Republicans on Wednesday ​approved a new ‌congressional map aimed at flipping ​four Democratic-held ​U.S. House seats, ⁠delivering a ​major boost to ​their party’s chances of preserving a ​narrow majority ​in November’s midterm elections.

The ‌map, ⁠drawn by Governor Ron DeSantis’ office, gives ​Republicans ​the ⁠advantage in 24 of ​the state’s ​28 ⁠U.S. House of Representatives seats, ⁠up ​from ​their current 20-8 edge.

The Reuters Iran Briefing newsletter keeps you informed with the latest developments and analysis of the Iran war. Sign up here.

Reporting ​by Joseph Ax

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

US House backs effort to advance measure opening debate on ICE funding and FISA

2026-04-29 17:34:31 UTC / Reuters

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The badge of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is embroidered on a polo shirt of an ICE employee, at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement two-day job fair in Texas to help fill vacancies for deportation officers and attorneys, in Arlington, Texas, U.S. August 26, 2025. REUTERS/Shelby Tauber Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

WASHINGTON, April 29 (Reuters) – A measure to open ‌debate on key legislation to outline ​funding for immigration ​enforcement operations and to ⁠renew foreign surveillance ​authority was approved ​in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

The victory came ​after House ​Speaker Mike Johnson persuaded his ‌fellow ⁠Republicans to back the measure in an effort that ​kept the ​vote ⁠open for more than two ​hours. The ​final ⁠vote was 215-210 to go ahead ⁠with ​debate.

The Reuters Iran Briefing newsletter keeps you informed with the latest developments and analysis of the Iran war. Sign up here.

Reporting by ​Richard Cowan and David Morgan; ​Editing by Daphne Psaledakis

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New court filing details timeline and suspect’s extensive arsenal in White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting

2026-04-29T16:56:50.229Z / CNN

By Aileen Graef

PUBLISHED Apr 29, 2026, 12:56 PM ET

Images included from a court filing in the case against Cole Tomas Allen include a selfie prosecutors say he took before the attack. The numbers and circles were added to the image by prosecutors.

US District Court for the District of Columbia

A Secret Service officer saw a shotgun-wielding suspect fire his weapon toward the stairs that led to a hotel ballroom where President Donald Trump, members of his Cabinet and some of the nation’s top journalists had gathered Saturday for the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, federal prosecutors alleged in a new court filing Wednesday.

The filing, which laid out prosecutors’ argument for keeping the suspect held as he awaits trial, offered a more detailed timeline of the shooting than previously known, along with a thorough account of the weaponry the suspect had amassed.

Prosecutors argued there was “no combination of conditions that will reasonably assure the community’s safety” if the suspect were to be released, pointing to his extensive preparations and the possibility — avoided by “good fortune” — that he could have killed people and inflicted serious damage.

They called his plot one of “extreme political violence.”

“The defendant’s choice of targets demonstrates the deeply dangerous nature of his conduct,” the prosecutors wrote. “Attempted murder is always a serious crime, but when the intended victim is the President of the United States, as well as other high-ranking members of the U.S. government, the potential consequences are far reaching.”

Related article Visualizing the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting incident in maps 1 min read

A month of preparation

Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from California, is charged with attempting to assassinate the president and related counts in connection with the shooting. He has not entered a plea in the case yet, and his attorney did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on Wednesday.

Federal prosecutors alleged that he came to Washington, DC, after a lengthy cross-country train journey, eventually approaching the Washington Hilton ballroom on Saturday night with what they described as a “veritable armament.” That included a 12-gauge pump action shotgun, a .38 caliber pistol, multiple knives and daggers and a significant amount of ammunition for reloading, according to the new filing.

By federal prosecutors’ account, Allen’s planning began weeks before the dinner. On April 6, a little over a month after Trump announced he was attending, Allen searched for information on the event, then booked himself a two-night stay at the Washington Hilton during the weekend it was to take place, they say.

Federal prosecutors alleged he researched the dinner, the schedule, the host and expected attendees.

This image of a firearm was included in the court filing by federal prosecutors.

US District Court for the District of Columbia

Four days before the attack, on April 21, Allen departed Los Angeles on an Amtrak passenger train which took him to Chicago, according to the court filing. On April 23, the filing says, he boarded a second train to Washington, DC.

During his journey from Chicago to the nation’s capital, Allen passed time reading an article in a DC newspaper titled “Social Scene: Your Guide to the 2026 White House Correspondents Dinner Weekend,” according to the court filing. He arrived at Union Station on April 24, taking the metro to Dupont Circle and checking into the Hilton — which was hosting the dinner — at approximately 3:15 p.m., the filing says.

The day of the dinner

On the day of the dinner, according to the filing, Allen left his room several times and searched for the president’s schedule on his phone.

At approximately 8:03 p.m., Allen took a photo of himself reflected in his hotel room mirror, showing weapons strapped to his body, the filing says.

After checking the president’s schedule one last time, Allen left his hotel room at approximately 8:15 p.m., the filing says. About 12 minutes later, Allen was watching live videos on media websites showing the president arriving at the hotel. Federal prosecutors said he pre-scheduled an email outlining his intentions to land in the inboxes of family, friends and a former employer at 8:30 p.m.

This image of knives was included in the court filing by federal prosecutors.

US District Court for the District of Columbia

The attack

Minutes after watching the president arrive at the hotel on his phone, at approximately 8:30 p.m., Allen approached the security checkpoint a floor above the ballroom where the president, Cabinet officials and members of the media were seated, according to the court filing. Before he reached the checkpoint, he shed his long black coat, revealing the shotgun he was carrying, it says. He then sprinted through the checkpoint to the ballroom — a scramble that was caught on video released by Trump the night of the shooting.

As Allen sprinted to the stairs, he raised the shotgun and a Secret Service officer reported that he observed the man “fire the shotgun in the direction of the stairs leading down to the ballroom,” according to the court filing. The filing says the same officer “and others at the checkpoint heard the gunshot.”

The officer fired five times at Allen with none of the bullets hitting him, according to the filing. Allen fell to the ground and was soon arrested, the filing says.

Comey appears in court after his indictment for allegedly threatening Trump

April 29, 2026 / 1:49 PM EDT / CBS News

By Jacob Rosen

Jacob Rosen Justice Department Reporter

Jake Rosen is a reporter covering the Department of Justice. He was previously a campaign digital reporter covering President Trump’s 2024 campaign and also served as an associate producer for “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.”

Read Full Bio

Jacob Rosen

Former FBI Director James Comey made his first court appearance Wednesday after his indictment a day earlier for allegedly making threats against President Trump.

He did not enter a plea on Wednesday. Federal Magistrate Judge William E. Fitzpatrick read the charges against Comey and denied the Justice Department’s attempts to set conditions of release.

“I don’t think conditions on release are necessary in this case,” Fitzpatrick said, adding that “they weren’t necessary last time” Comey was indicted.

Comey, in a blue suit and light blue dress shirt, was represented by Patrick Fitzgerald and Jessica Carmichael. He nodded as he was read his rights and smiled back at his family as he left the courtroom.

Comey has been charged with two counts: knowingly and willfully making a threat to take the life of — and to inflict bodily harm on — the president, and second, knowingly and willfully transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to kill the president.

The charges stem from an image he briefly shared to Instagram last year showing seashells arranged in the sand to form the numbers “86 47.” The indictment states that a “reasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances” would interpret the depiction of the shells in the photo “as a serious expression of an intent to do harm to President Trump.”

Comey, a frequent Trump critic, soon removed the post after outraged Trump supporters interpreted the numbers as a threat against Mr. Trump, the 47th president. He said in an Instagram post that he believed the shell formation was communicating a “political message.”

“I didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence,” Comey wrote. “It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.”

In a video posted on Substack after the indictment, Comey said, “”I’m still innocent, I’m still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary. So, let’s go.”

Comey’s attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald, said his legal team intend to file motions to dismiss on the grounds of selective and vindictive prosecutions imminently and asked a judge to order the preservation of records from the government, given the Justice Department’s recent opinion that the Presidential Records Act does not apply to the Trump administration.

Comey was previously indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2025 for allegedly lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding. In that case, his legal team presented arguments on selective and vindictive prosecutions, but the judge never had to rule on that issue because the case was dismissed on grounds that the U.S. attorney who had brought the case was illegally appointed. The original case is being appealed by the Justice Department.

CBS News legal contributor Jessica Levinson told CBS News that the charges in the second indictment are unusual in that they stem from a symbolic message: “They’re based on seashells.” She indicated the Justice Department would face a high bar in prosecuting the case, noting that the biggest issue is whether there’s a First Amendment defense in the case.

“There’s a robust First Amendment defense if you can’t show that either the speech, or the symbolic speech or the expression satisfies that intent requirement.” The Justice Department will have to prove that Comey intended to threaten the president’s life or that he intended to transmit a message with that threat in his social media post.

In 2023, the Supreme Court said that for a true threat to be considered speech that is unprotected under the First Amendment, the government must show that the speaker “consciously disregards a significant risk that their words might harm another.” Comey said at the time of his Instagram post that he didn’t understand the numbers could be associated with violence and then removed the post.

Melissa Quinn contributed to this report.

Speaker Johnson one step closer to renewing controversial spy program after conservatives fall in line

2026-04-29T13:32:44-04:00 / Fox News

Speaker could only afford two GOP defections given the razor-thin House Republican majority

By Adam Pack Fox News

Published April 29, 2026 1:32pm EDT | Updated April 29, 2026 3:05pm EDT

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is one step closer to averting a lapse in a controversial surveillance program after GOP privacy hawks fell in line to back a procedural measure amid weeks of infighting.

House lawmakers approved a test vote teeing up a three-year extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) for a vote on final passage as early as Wednesday evening. The procedural measure also includes a Senate-passed budget resolution funding immigration enforcement for the rest of President Donald Trump’s term.

GOP leadership held the vote open for more than two hours as they worked to flip dozens of conservative holdouts. In order to get the rule adopted, leadership agreed to punt consideration of a third piece of legislation known as the farm bill, which includes agriculture and nutrition priorities.

Every Republican present ultimately voted yes during the marathon session in a major victory for Johnson. He could afford to lose just a handful of GOP defections given House Republicans’ razor-thin majority.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., gestures as he meets with reporters ahead of a key procedural vote to end the partial government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026.(J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)

HOUSE CONSERVATIVES SKEPTICAL AS SENATE DEAL SACRIFICING DHS SPENDING REACHED: ‘NON-STARTER’

The successful procedural vote came after a sustained lobbying campaign from the Trump administration and Republican leadership to sell GOP privacy hawks on an extension of the spy law.

“This is by far the most collaborative effort that I’ve seen on FISA, and we’ve had a number of these kinds of fights,” Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, a leading FISA skeptic, told reporters earlier this week. “So I think it’s a very collaborative work product, and that’s why I say I support it.”

“It’s not to say I don’t think there’s other reforms that I would support, but I think this is a good win, and we should focus on a broader set of reforms that apply way beyond the scope of 702,” the Ohio Republican added.

House conservatives also appeared to soften their opposition after leadership included language permanently banning central bank digital currencies (CBDC) in the procedural measure.

GOP privacy hawks have long pushed for adding a CBDC ban to a legislative vehicle, casting it as a necessary effort to ward off government surveillance.

But Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has warned that any FISA renewal bill with CBDC language is “dead on arrival” in the Senate.

“They know that,” Thune told reporters Tuesday, referring to House Republicans.

The Senate could also move to pass a rival FISA plan and force the House to swallow it ahead of Thursday’s deadline to extend the spy law.

“FISA is critical to our national defense and our national security,” Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., told Fox News. “If we lose FISA, we lose the ability to defend this country the way that it should be defended. We use that information to find out what the bad guys are doing, where they’re at, what they’re looking to attack, what their strategies are.”

“I know we’ve got folks out there that are concerned about protecting Americans and so forth,” Rounds added. “We really need them to take a look at the other side of this, which is, are you going to hurt Americans?”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has warned the House from moving forward with a FISA renewal bill that includes a ban on central bank digital currencies (CDBC).(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

‘HELL WEEK’ IN WASHINGTON: A LOOK AT HOUSE REPUBLICANS’ CURRENT BIND, AND HOW WE GOT HERE

Johnson is also seeking to clear the Senate budget resolution as soon as Wednesday evening.

Leadership has scheduled a vote on the measure, but it is not clear if House Republicans will support the resolution without modifications. Democrats are expected to line up in opposition to the measure, citing concerns about funding immigration enforcement absent sweeping reforms.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., is still vowing to strip out controversial pesticide language from the farm bill, arguing it would block lawsuits against some pesticide manufacturers.

“On behalf of all the moms and dads that aren’t in office, I am not going to be bullied into supporting a bill that is providing protections and immunity to corporations that are responsible for giving children and adults cancer,” Luna wrote on social media. “This is literally above party affiliation.”

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna departed the U.S. Capitol following a series of House votes on March 5, 2026, in Washington, D.C.(Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

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Trump has urged House Republicans to quickly pass the Senate’s budget blueprint to fund immigration enforcement.

“It is imperative that Congress immediately fund DHS and its critical operations to protect the Homeland,” the White House Office of Management and Budget wrote in a memo to Hill offices on Tuesday that was obtained by Fox News Digital. “Failure to pass the budget resolution will jeopardize paychecks for the DHS personnel that keep the Homeland safe.”