What we're covering
• Boat strikes: The US military carried out another deadly attack yesterday on a suspected drug boat as new details emerge about a controversial follow-up strike on a vessel in the Caribbean in September. The admiral who oversaw the second strike told lawmakers he consulted a military lawyer before ordering the attack that killed survivors, according to sources.
• Ukraine talks: Delegations from the US and Kyiv had “constructive discussions” over the past two days and will reconvene tomorrow “to continue advancing the discussions,” according to the US State Department.
• World Cup draw: President Donald Trump participated in the 2026 World Cup draw in DC, where he received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize. Trump met with the leaders of Canada and Mexico, who were also at the draw.
Trump receives FIFA peace prize on day dominated by foreign policy developments. Here's the latest
Congress, including some Republicans, is intensifying scrutiny on the Trump administration in the wake of revelations about a so-called “double-tap” strike in September on an alleged drug boat.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump received the newly-created FIFA Peace Prize at the World Cup draw in DC — a day after unveiling a new national security strategy that escalates rhetoric against European countries.
Here’s a rundown:
- Ukraine negotiations: Delegations from the US and Ukraine will meet again in Miami as they attempt to make a breakthrough in talks to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. It comes after lengthy talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and top US negotiators in Moscow on Tuesday.
- Boat strikes: Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley, the military officer who oversaw the controversial attack on an alleged drug boat, told lawmakers yesterday that he consulted a military lawyer before approving a secondary strike that killed survivors, according to two sources with direct knowledge of his briefings. Most Republicans are saying the strikes were justified and Democrats are suggesting a war crime may have been committed.
- National security strategy: Trump’s new national security strategy elevates his “America First” doctrine and sets out the administration’s realignment of US foreign policy. It takes an unprecedentedly confrontational posture toward Europe. You can read the key points here.
- Trump at FIFA draw: Trump was awarded the newly created FIFA Peace Prize during today’s World Cup Draw at the Kennedy Center. Before receiving the award, Trump didn’t answer a question about whether the peace prize would conflict with his vow to strike “on land” soon in Venezuela. He also met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines.
- Pipe bomber: The man accused of planting two pipe bombs in Washington, DC, in January 2021, was formally presented with two federal charges at a brief court hearing.
- Birthright citizenship: The Supreme Court agreed to decide if Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship with an executive order is constitutional. The court will take on the merits of a controversy that it largely avoided earlier this year, when it sided with Trump on technical grounds dealing with how the challenges to the policy were handled by lower courts.
- Song dispute: The White House deleted a video it posted on X earlier this week featuring Sabrina Carpenter’s song “Juno” and footage of law enforcement apprehending individuals in apparent immigration actions, which the pop star called “evil and disgusting.”
President Trump has won FIFA’s first peace award which has drawn criticism from human rights group due to his close relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, CNN’s Amanda Davies reports.
CNN’s Kit Maher, John Fritze, Svitlana Vlasova, Issy Ronald, Alejandra Jaramillo, Natasha Bertrand, Donald Judd, Aditi Sangal, Devan Cole, Casey Gannon, Austin Culpepper, Kaanita Iyer and Catherine Nicholls contributed reporting to this post.
Trump met with Sheinbaum and Carney at Kennedy Center
President Donald Trump met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the Kennedy Center this afternoon, whom he was earlier seated with at the FIFA World Cup Draw, a White House official said.
Trump is currently looking at Kennedy Center improvements with its president, former Ambassador Ric Grenell, the official added.
US and Ukrainian delegations are expected to meet later on today. Here's how peace talks have gone this week
Delegations from the US and Ukraine are set to meet in Miami later today, following on from talks yesterday which a Ukrainian official described as “constructive.”
The meeting is the latest of several that have taken place this week working towards an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, following lengthy talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and top US negotiators in Moscow on Tuesday.
While those talks were “very useful, constructive, and highly substantive,” according to Russian foreign policy adviser and Putin aide Yuri Ushakov, they did not yield a breakthrough.
This lack of progress was amplified by Putin yesterday, who said that his country would seize Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region “by military or other means.” Russia has illegally annexed much of the region, but not fully conquered it.
One of the Kremlin’s biggest demands is for Ukraine to surrender the Donbas - something Kyiv considers a red line.
In a post on Facebook earlier today, Oleksandr Bevz, adviser to Ukraine’s presidential chief of staff, said that the results of today’s talks with the US delegation will be reported back to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Based on the results, the president will hear reports and determine the next steps for the Ukrainian team,” he said.
CNN’s Svitlana Vlasova, Issy Ronald, Helen Regan and Nina Subkhanberdina contributed reporting to this post.
Accused DC pipe bomber appears in court to face federal charges
The man accused of planting two pipe bombs in Washington, DC, in January 2021, was formally presented with two federal charges at a brief court hearing Friday afternoon.
Brian Cole, Jr., appeared before Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya, where she read him the charges and informed him of the potential sentences they carry should he be convicted.
Cole, who was charged with transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce and attempted malicious destruction by means of fire and explosive materials, could face up to 20 years in prison for the malicious destruction charge.
The suspect appeared in a prison jumpsuit and glasses. Six members of Cole’s family came to the hearing, and were visibly emotional, even standing up at various points. After the hearing concluded, they shouted to Cole, saying they love him and they’re here for him. “We love you Brian” and “We’re here for you baby,” they said.
Next steps: Cole is expected to appear before another magistrate judge in DC on December 15 for a hearing that will determine whether he’ll remain detained pending trial. For now, he’ll remain behind bars until that court date.
During interviews with the FBI, the suspect arrested in the pipe bomb probe told investigators that he believed the 2020 election was stolen, providing perhaps the first indication of a possible motive for the bombs placed near the DNC and RNC headquarters, people briefed on the matter previously told CNN.
This post has been updated with more details on the court appearance.
"Truly one of the great honors of my life," Trump says after being awarded FIFA Peace Prize
President Donald Trump has been awarded the newly created FIFA Peace Prize during today’s World Cup Draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. You can follow live updates of the event here.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino credited Trump with helping broker peace agreements in multiple parts of the world, including the Middle East.
The world soccer’s governing body announced in November that this year will see the introduction of the award — a new annual accolade given to someone who FIFA says has taken “exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world.” How the winner is chosen isn’t exactly clear.
FIFA had remained tight-lipped over who will be bestowed the inaugural Peace Prize amid rumors it was destined for the US president.
Infantino and Trump have seemingly developed a close relationship in the buildup to next year’s World Cup. He was a vocal supporter of Trump’s bid to win the Nobel Peace Prize, an award ultimately given to Venezuela’s opposition leader María Corina Machado.
CNN’s Ben Church contributed reporting to this post.
Sources: Admiral who oversaw double-tap strike consulted military lawyer before ordering attack that killed survivors
Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley, the military officer who oversaw the controversial September 2 attack on an alleged drug boat, told lawmakers on Thursday that he had consulted with the uniformed lawyer on duty during the operation before approving a secondary strike that killed survivors, according to two sources with direct knowledge of his congressional briefings.
An initial strike killed 9 crew members leaving two survivors clinging to a component of the overturned boat, CNN has reported. The two bobbed in the water for most of an hour while Bradley, who was at that time the head of Joint Special Operations Command, and other military officers decided what to do.
During that period Bradley consulted the JAG officer, or judge advocate general officer, who assessed it would be legal to move forward with a second strike, the sources added.
That second strike, which one source said happened 41 minutes after the first, killed the two survivors, CNN reported.
The legality of the strike has become a deeply contested topic on Capitol Hill where lawmakers have split along party lines, with most Republicans saying the strikes was justified and Democrats suggesting a war crime may have been committed.
Trump won't say if receiving FIFA Peace Prize would conflict with his threat to strike Venezuela
President Donald Trump — who’s expected to receive the FIFA Peace Prize during today’s World Cup Draw in Washington — didn’t answer a question about whether receiving the award would conflict with his vow to strike “on land” soon in Venezuela.
“I haven’t been officially noticed — I’ve been hearing about a Peace Prize, and I’m here to represent our country in a different sense, but I can tell you I did settle eight wars, and we have a ninth coming, but which nobody’s ever done before,” Trump told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins ahead of the draw.
“But I want to really save lives. I don’t need prizes. I need to save lives. And we’re saving a lot of lives.”
The president’s comments come as the administration has increased strikes against alleged drug boats. And the administration is facing scrutiny from Congress, including some GOP lawmakers, in the wake of revelations about a so-called “double-tap” strike that killed survivors of an initial strike on an alleged drug vessel.
But the president has shown little sign that the criticism is likely to deter further escalation in the region, repeatedly suggesting he’d like to see land strikes.
“I think you’re going to find that there’s a very receptive ear to doing exactly what they’re doing, taking out those boats,” he told reporters at the White House Wednesday. “And very soon we’re going to start doing it on land too, because we know every route, we know every house, we know where they manufacture this crap, we know where they put it all together.”
Trump touts Kennedy Center makeover ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup draw
President Donald Trump wasted no time highlighting the renovation work underway at the Kennedy Center as he arrived at the venue Friday ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw, praising what he described as a sweeping overhaul of the aging performing arts complex.
“We’ve done a lot of work at the Kennedy Center. It was falling apart, and now it’s much back,” Trump said. “And we’ll get it back within the next four or five months through construction.” He added that before the effort began, “You can look at the walls, marble was broken, everything was a mess.”
“So we’ve done a really great renovation job on it, and over the next three, four months, it’ll be complete, and we’re honored to have it here,” the president said.
The president’s comments come as he continues reshaping Washington’s landmarks during his second term.
In the months since returning to office, the president has left a visible imprint on the nation’s capital, from the Kennedy Center’s newly painted columns and planned new carpet and seating, to his vow to rebuild Dulles International Airport, which he recently described as “a terrible airport.”
Follow live updates of the 2026 World Cup draw here.
Melania Trump visits Children's National with a meaningful reunion
First lady Melania Trump held a meaningful reunion Friday, meeting with 24-year-old Caoilinn McLane during a holiday visit to Children’s National Hospital.
In 2017, McLane was a patient here, battling childhood acute myeloid leukemia at age 15, spending months between the pediatric intensive care unit and the oncology unit at Children’s National. McLane met the first lady multiple times, including Trump’s first holiday visit to the children’s hospital as first lady, and the two stayed in touch.
Eight years later, Trump returned to the hospital for the annual first lady holiday visit, where she was introduced by McLane, now grown up and in remission, a student at Virginia Military Institute.
In a hospital atrium decorated with colorful hot air balloons suspended from the ceiling, a towering, sparkly Christmas tree, and stacks of wrapped presents, Trump also met dozens of children gathered to see her — and Santa Claus.
Trump read “How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney,” shook hands with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and shared hugs with some of the children gathered before privately visiting with young patients in the oncology unit.
The White House released Trump’s new national security strategy. These are some key points in the document
The White House quietly released President Donald Trump’s new national security strategy late yesterday, a 33-page document that elevates his “America First” doctrine and sets out the administration’s realignment of US foreign policy, from shifting military resources in the Western Hemisphere to taking an unprecedentedly confrontational posture toward Europe.
Catch up on some key points in the document:
On the Western Hemisphere: The strategy centers on Trump’s call for a “readjustment” of the US military presence in the Western Hemisphere to counter migration, drug trafficking and what it describes as the rise of adversarial powers in the region.
It outlines plans for a larger Coast Guard and Navy presence in the region and deployments to “secure the border and defeat cartels, including where necessary the use of lethal force.” The document frames this as part of a “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine, an 1823 presidential call for European powers to respect the US sphere of influence in the West.
On Europe: The strategy’s section on Europe represents a more dramatic escalation, warning that European nations face “economic decline” that could be “eclipsed by the real and more stark prospect of civilizational erasure.”
The document goes on to argue that “over the long term, it is more than plausible that within a few decades at the latest, certain NATO members will become majority non-European,” raising what it calls “an open question” about whether those countries would continue to view their alliance with the United States in the same way.
On China: The Trump administration’s strategy also outlines a dual-track approach to China, pushing to contain Beijing’s global influence while preserving economic ties and maintaining the current conditions on Taiwan, saying that “deterring a conflict over Taiwan, ideally by preserving military overmatch, is a priority.”
Read more about Trump’s strategy outlined in the document here.
CNN’s Kaanita Iyer contributed reporting to this post.
Meeting between US and Ukrainian delegations will resume today, Ukrainian official says
Delegations from the US and Ukraine will meet again in Miami later today, according to a Ukrainian official, as they attempt to make a breakthrough in ongoing peace talks to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Ukraine’s negotiating team held “constructive talks … on key aspects of the peace process” with their American counterparts yesterday, Oleksandr Bevz, adviser to Ukraine’s presidential chief of staff, said on Facebook.
“Today, the delegation will continue its work in Miami. Based on the results, the President will hear reports and determine the next steps for the Ukrainian team,” he added.
The Ukrainian delegation was expected to discuss the outcome of Tuesday’s meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Trump touts his approval of “tiny cars” for US production
President Donald Trump announced Friday that he has approved “tiny cars” to be manufactured in the United States, although there isn’t a specific federal regulation prohibiting small micro cars in the US.
“I have just approved TINY CARS to be built in America. Manufacturers have long wanted to do this, just like they are so successfully built in other countries,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“They can be propelled by gasoline, electric, or hybrid. These cars of the very near future are inexpensive, safe, fuel efficient and, quite simply, AMAZING!!! START BUILDING THEM NOW! Thank you to the DOJ and the Departments of Transportation and Environment.”
The president also praised the idea during a televised Cabinet meeting Wednesday, telling his team he had been struck by “a very small car” he saw during his recent Asia trip, calling them “really cute.”
“How would that do in this country? And everyone seems to think good, but you’re not allowed to build them,” Trump said.
However, some of these small cars from Asia that Trump speaks of have been imported already, although not in significant numbers. There are local regulations on which roads they can drive on, and there are federal rules requiring certain levels of safety for car occupants in case of crashes.
But it has been mostly market forces, not regulation, that has stopped the production of ultra small vehicles in the United States. American car buyers have shown a desire for bigger trucks and SUVs, enough so that the traditional “Big Three” US automakers essentially stopped producing small sedans years ago. Some imported models, such as the Daimler-Benz two-seat “Smart car,” did not catch on in the US market.
CNN’s Samantha Waldenberg and Chris Isidore contributed to this post.
House minority whip calls for release of boat strike video
Democratic House Minority Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts has called for the public release of a video showing the so-called double-tap strike on an alleged Caribbean drug boat in September.
“We need to get the truth to the American people,” Clark said this morning to CNN’s Kate Bolduan. “I think that we should take (US President Donald Trump) up on what he said … that he’s not against releasing this video.”
Earlier this week, Trump said that his administration would “certainly” release the footage, which reportedly shows survivors of an initial strike on the vessel being killed.
Clark added she has two “critical concerns” regarding the video: “One is for the security of our troops, and one is for the security of the American people.”
“We need to know where we stand legally as a country. That is critical to keeping the American people safe,” she said, accusing US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Trump administration of an “unprecedented withdrawal of information.”
Here's what is on Trump's schedule today
All eyes today will be on The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, where the 48 soccer teams set to compete in the upcoming FIFA World Cup will be drawn into 12 groups. US President Donald Trump will be at the drawing, which will take place around 12 p.m. ET.
The president is also expected to attend a concert in the White House’s East Room today.
This is his official schedule:
- 10 a.m. ET: Trump receives his intelligence briefing.
- 11:40 a.m. ET: Trump attends the FIFA World Cup Drawing at The Kennedy Center.
- 3 p.m. ET: Trump signs executive orders from the Oval Office. This is closed to press, but we’ll let you know if that changes.
- 8 p.m. ET: Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend a concert by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli in the East Room, in an event that is also closed to press.
Democratic lawmakers discuss new information on double-tap strike
The two men killed in a second strike on a suspected drug vessel in early September did not appear to have communications devices, the top military official overseeing the strike told lawmakers, according to sources.
This new information is stoking criticism of the strike, adding to growing questions about its legality.
Here’s what some Democrats in Congress told CNN:
Washington Rep. Adam Smith said that after he saw the full video of the strike, he thinks that the clip should be made public.
Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a retired US Army pilot, says the new information “tells you the Defense Department has been lying to everybody” for months.
“I know what drug interdiction looks like…it is not killing shipwrecked sailors,” said Massachusetts Rep. Jake Auchincloss.
Attorney General Bondi says more charges to come today in DC pipe bomb case
Attorney General Pam Bondi said today the suspect in the Washington, DC, pipe bomb case is expected to face more charges.
“We got someone who was charged with a very, very dangerous crime off the streets, and more to come,” Bondi told Fox News.
The suspect, Brian Cole Jr., was arrested yesterday and is currently facing two federal explosives charges. Cole is expected to appear before a federal judge in court later today.
During interviews with the FBI, the suspect arrested in the pipe bomb probe told investigators that he believed the 2020 election was stolen, providing perhaps the first indication of a possible motive for the bombs placed near the DNC and RNC headquarters, people briefed on the matter said.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that Brian Cole Jr., the man accused of planting viable pipe bombs outside the DNC and RNC offices the night before the 2021 attack, has been federally charged with using an explosive device.
This post has been updated with reporting on the FBI interviews. CNN’s Evan Perez and Hannah Rabinowitz contributed reporting to this post.
Macron stresses need for US-European cooperation on Ukraine talks
French President Emmanuel Macron said the United States needs “the Europeans to advance their efforts for peace” in Ukraine, underlining the importance of European-American cooperation on the issue at a time when their differing approaches to the talks are putting their alliance under strain.
“Unity between the Americans and the Europeans on the Ukrainian issue is indispensable,” Macron told reporters at Sichuan University in Chengdu, China.
Still, Macron emphasized that the US needs European input too, as “this is happening on the European continent and we are the providers of security guarantees, as it’s we who can speak about sanctions, as it’s we that have in our hands the frozen Russian assets, to give some examples.”
GOP Sen. Tom Cotton admits he didn’t see those killed in double-tap strike trying to use radio
GOP Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas — who was briefed by Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley yesterday on the September so-called double-tap strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean — said this morning he did not see evidence of the men on the boat trying to use a radio to call for help.
When pressed by John Berman on “CNN News Central” if he saw any evidence of the men trying to use a radio, Cotton said, “No I didn’t.”
The senator went on to defend the second strike, saying, “They were clearly not incapacitated. They were not distressed.”
CNN exclusively reported yesterday that Bradley told lawmakers during congressional briefings that the two men killed in the strikes did not appear to have radio or other communications devices, according to sources with direct knowledge of his briefings.
This revelation comes after defense officials have been quietly pushing back on criticism that killing the two survivors amounted to a war crime by arguing, in part, that they were legitimate targets because they appeared to be radioing for help or backup — reinforcements that, if they had received it, could have theoretically allowed them to continue to traffic the alleged drugs aboard their sinking ship.
US and Ukraine wrap up war talks in Miami as Russia awaits Washington's response
Ukrainian and US delegations ended a meeting in Miami, Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne reported in the early hours of Friday.
The Ukrainian delegation included Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov.
Suspilne did not give any other details of the meeting.
The delegations were expected to discuss the results of the Tuesday meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin, US special envoy Steve Witkoff, and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Ukrainian and US officials last held talks on Sunday, also in Miami. At the time, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the meeting as “a very productive and useful session where… additional progress was made.”
In Moscow: Russia is awaiting a response from the US following Tuesday’s discussions, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said, according to Russian state media TASS.
There are currently no plans for a phone conversation between Putin and Trump, but one can easily be arranged if necessary, Ushakov said, TASS reported.
That US-Russia meeting did not yield any breakthroughs on a possible peace deal, but Putin characterized it as “productive.”
Putin is currently in India, where he said that Russia was ready to provide an “uninterrupted” supply of fuel to the Indian economy as both countries grapple with the fallout from US sanctions on Russian oil companies.
CNN’s Christian Edwards contributed reporting.
Trump will attend the FIFA World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center today
President Donald Trump is set to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw today at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, where FIFA will announce the groups and matchups for the opening stage of the quadrennial tournament.
The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams (up from 32) and is set to be played across 16 cities in three countries.
Hear from Paul Tenorio, senior writer for The Athletic, as he talks to CNN Sports’ Don Riddell about the newly expanded tournament:
Some context: The decision to hold the opening event of the World Cup at the Kennedy Center combines two of Trump’s second-term priorities: bringing the World Cup to the US, and a reshaping of the center after he seized control of its board.
Trump said he would oversee a sweeping revamp of the center and its programming. He has said that people may start referring to the performance arts center as the “Trump Kennedy Center.”
Sideline meetings: Trump is also expected to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on the sidelines of the draw, a senior White House official told CNN.
CNN’s Kristen Holmes contributed reporting to this post.
