By SEUNG MIN KIM and DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press
President Donald Trump is pushing back against claims by the director of the National Counterterrorism Center about the motivations for the Iran war. In announcing his resignation Tuesday, Joe Kent claimed Iran "posed no imminent threat" to the United States. Trump says Iran is a "tremendous threat." Kent also says it's clear the U.S. started the war "due to pressure from Israel." The Republican president previously has denied Israel forced the U.S. to act. Kent is a former Washington state political candidate with connections to right-wing extremists. As head of the National Counterterrorism Center, Kent was in charge of an agency tasked with analyzing and detecting terrorist threats.
By CHARLOTTE KRAMON, ALEX VEIGA and MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press
In a rare bipartisan effort for a deeply divided Congress, the Senate has passed a broad bill to make U.S. housing more accessible and affordable. The bill passed on Thursday would reduce regulations, regulate corporate investors and expand how housing dollars can be used to build affordable homes and rentals. It now heads back to the House, which passed a separate version earlier this year. It is unclear whether President Donald Trump would sign it after declaring last weekend that he won't sign any new measures unless Congress passes legislation that would require voters to show proof of citizenship.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom says there's no imminent threat to the state from Iran. ABC News says the FBI warned California that Iran had aspired to send drones to the West Coast in retaliation for war. The FBI later released text of the alert, which noted that the information was based on "unverified information." The White House now says, "No such threat from Iran to our homeland exists." Newsom says California and various agencies plan for worst-case scenarios. Police in Los Angeles and San Francisco say they are monitoring world events for any risks.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned as dangerous comments by Elon Musk, who told an anti-immigration rally in London that violence is coming to Britain and urged people to fight back. The event organized by far-right campaigner Tommy Robinson saw violence by a minority of those attending with 26 police officers injured and 25 arrests. Starmer's spokesman said, "The U.K. is a fair, tolerant and decent country, so the last thing the British people want is dangerous and inflammatory language." Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey urged Starmer to consider sanctions against Musk. Starmer has emphasized the importance of peaceful protest and condemned violence against police and intimidation based on background or skin color.
By JASON DEAREN, MICHELLE R. SMITH and AARON KESSLER Associated Press
Updated
Much remains unknown about the man who carried out an attack in New Orleans and another who died in an explosion in Las Vegas on New Year's. One was an Army veteran and the other an active duty member of the U.S. Army Special Forces, Service members and veterans who radicalize make up a tiny fraction of a percentage point of the millions and millions who have honorably served their country. But the recent violence highlights the increased role of people with military experience in ideologically driven attacks. An Associated Press investigation published last year found that radicalization among both veterans and active duty service members was on the rise, and that hundreds of people with military backgrounds had been arrested for extremist crimes since 2017.
By JONATHAN MATTISE and KIMBERLEE KRUESI Associated Press
For weeks, neo-Nazis have made repeat appearances in Nashville, livestreaming antisemitic antics for shock value. They've waved swastika flags through crowded streets, sung hate songs on the downtown courthouse steps and even briefly disrupted a city council meeting with jeers. Their continued presence has sparked hard questions about why Music City is attracting groups amplifying Nazi beliefs and what, if anything, can help stop them. Jon Lewis, a George Washington University Program on Extremism research fellow, said Nashville's touristy attraction may be a factor, but the state's embrace of anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-immigrant policies may also play a role.
