The Justice Department indicts former FBI Director James Comey days after Trump said the U.S. attorney general should prosecute him. TikTok’s unique algorithm could soon be in the hands of American investors. And, Democrats demand more fight from their leaders as a government shutdown inches closer.
Here’s what to know today.
Former FBI Director James Comey indicted
Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted yesterday, days after President Donald Trump said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi should prosecute him and two other political adversaries. The indictment includes two counts: making a false statement and obstruction.
The charges stem from testimony Comey gave in 2017, asserting that he did not authorize the leaking of information about the FBI’s investigations into Trump or former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Comey later said in a 2020 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, “I stand by the testimony.”
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Comey could face a maximum of five years in prison if he is convicted. His arraignment is set for Oct. 9 before U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff, an appointee of former President Joe Biden.
Trump celebrated the indictment by posting on social media, “One of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to is James Comey.”
Comey denied the charges in a video posted on Instagram where he said he had known there were “costs to standing up” to Trump and that he has “great confidence in the federal judicial system.”
Read the full story.
More politics news:
The number of right-wing terror attacks in the U.S. plunged dramatically in the first half of 2025, while the amount of political violence from the left creeped up, a study found.
Democrats are ramping up efforts to investigate White House border czar Tom Homan over allegations that he accepted $50,000 in cash from undercover FBI agents last year.
A group of the country’s top economic leaders filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court in support of Fed governor Lisa Cook, who Trump is seeking to remove.
The United Nations has concluded its one-day investigation into the mysterious halting of Trump’s escalator as he arrived at the U.N. General Assembly.
Trump said he would not let Israel annex the West Bank.
U.S. to get majority ownership of TikTok, and control of the app’s algorithm
The terms of a TikTok deal that could transfer majority ownership to Americans appear to be set, but it will likely take more time for the sides to close the deal as they hammer out finer legal and financial points.
Under the new framework agreement outlined in Trump’s executive order, TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance and its affiliates will own less than 20% of TikTok, while “certain investors” will retain 80% ownership. The plan would achieve the “qualified divestiture” required for TikTok to comply with federal law, according to the order.
The deal will allow for these American investors to control TikTok’s unique algorithm, Vice President JD Vance said. The algorithm, which curates the type of content users see in their feeds, made the app’s For You page famous for its engagement-driven personalization that democratized virality and transformed online culture.
When asked whether he wants to see the new algorithm suggest more MAGA content, Trump told reporters, “I always like MAGA-related.”
“If I could make it 100% MAGA, I would, but it’s not going to work out that way, unfortunately,” Trump said. “No, everyone’s going to be treated fairly. Every group, every philosophy, every policy will be treated very fairly.”
Read the full story.
Democrats press leaders not to cave in a shutdown fight
As the threat of a government shutdown looms, the Democratic base is putting more pressure on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to either win concessions from Trump — at a minimum, an extension of expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies that limit the costs of health insurance for millions of Americans — or let a shutdown happen.
Federal agencies are set to run out of money at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, and Trump has refused to negotiate with Democratic leaders. The president’s budget director, Russ Vought, threatened to fire thousands of federal workers if Democrats don’t accept a GOP-written bill that would fund the government into November.
But most Democrats are convinced voters will blame Trump and congressional Republicans if the government shuts down, health insurance premiums rise and fewer federal services are available.
Read the full story.
Read All About It
Authorities confirmed that remains found in Washington state were those of Travis Decker, the U.S. Army veteran accused in the murder of his three young daughters.
The gunman who fired on an ICE facility in Dallas was targeting federal employees he believed were collecting a “dirty paycheck” and involved in “human trafficking,” officials said.
North Korea is close to developing an intercontinental ballistic missile that could hit the U.S. with a nuclear weapon, South Korea’s president said — though he added that Pyongyang has yet to master a last, crucial step.
As fewer children get their flu shots, cases of a rare, severe complication are rising. Last season, the U.S. experienced the highest number of pediatric flu deaths in 15 years.
“Harry Potter” star Emma Watson spoke about her feelings about JK Rowling over the author’s widely-criticized views on transgender rights.
Staff Pick: Quake tech
When the Mendocino earthquake ruptured off the California coast in 2024, it shook houses off their foundations, sent a 3-inch tsunami racing toward shore and touched off a fascinating science experiment — in the server room of a local police station, of all places.
More than two years before the quake, scientists installed a device called a “distributed acoustic sensing interrogator” at the Arcata Police Station near the coast. The device fires a laser through the fiber optic cables that provide the station with internet service and senses how some of that laser light quivers or bends as it returns to its source.
Science reporter Evan Bush took a look at a new study where researchers announced that they were able to use the data from the fiber optic cable to “image” the Mendocino earthquake — determining the magnitude, location and length of the rupture.
Outside scientists said this fast-developing technology could drastically improve earthquake early-warning systems, giving people more time to seek safety, and could be key to predicting catastrophic earthquakes in the future, if that’s possible.
– Christian Orozco, newsletter and platforms editor
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
Here’s what to know about the recent FDA warning on nonstick pans, plus expert-recommended alternatives that are safer to cook with. Plus, the best Garmin watches for everything including marathon training and everyday step counts.
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