Politics
Trump stuns NASA world by naming Sean Duffy interim chief: “Let’s take over space”
Former congressman and transportation secretary Sean Duffy steps in as interim NASA administrator, replacing Janet Petro after Elon Musk-linked nominee is pulled.
In a surprise announcement that’s sending shockwaves through both political and aerospace circles, Donald Trump has appointed Sean Duffy, former Wisconsin congressman and current Secretary of Transportation, as interim administrator of NASA.
The news came via Trump’s Truth Social account on Wednesday, where the former president praised Duffy’s leadership in transportation and hailed him as the right man to lead the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) — at least for now.
“He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time,” Trump wrote. “Rebuilding our roads and bridges, making them efficient, and beautiful, again — and now, reaching for the stars!”
Duffy responded with his signature enthusiasm, posting on X (formerly Twitter):
“🚀 Honored to accept this mission. Time to take over space. Let’s launch.”
Duffy replaces Janet Petro, who had been serving as acting NASA administrator following the controversial nomination — and recent withdrawal — of Jared Isaacman, the billionaire private astronaut and close associate of Elon Musk. Isaacman’s nomination, announced by Trump in December 2024, drew bipartisan scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest due to his financial ties to SpaceX and other Musk-affiliated ventures.
“After a thorough review of prior associations and increasing concern over corporate entanglements, we’ve decided to move in a new direction,” Trump said, referencing Isaacman’s withdrawal.
Though Duffy lacks direct aerospace experience, Trump emphasized that his infrastructure reforms and modernization work in the Department of Transportation signal the kind of administrative vision NASA needs in a critical transitional moment.
The decision also highlights how space exploration has become a central pillar in Trump’s broader national strategy, from economic growth to national defense. His first term famously saw the creation of the U.S. Space Force, and his administration continues to invest political capital in turning space into a new frontier for innovation and geopolitical influence.
“There’s no greater symbol of American excellence than space. This appointment reflects our seriousness about getting it right,” said one senior Trump advisor.
NASA is currently involved in several ambitious missions, including Artemis moon landings, deep-space exploration programs, and collaborations with commercial space companies. While Duffy’s role is temporary, his appointment may shape how the Trump administration balances public agency goals with the private sector’s growing dominance in the cosmos.
For now, the former reality TV star-turned-politician-turned-NASA boss has just one thing on his mind — launch.
Politics
Donald Trump Jr. announces engagement at the White House… “I want to thank Bettina for one word: Yes”
From a quiet Palm Beach romance to a surprise White House moment, Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson make it official
In a moment that blended politics, family, and personal celebration, Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson have announced their engagement — and the setting made it even more symbolic.
The news was revealed on December 15 at the White House, with President Donald Trump himself sharing the announcement publicly. A short video of the moment, later circulated on X, captured Donald Trump Jr. struggling — unusually — to find the right words.
“I’m not usually at a loss for words, because I’m usually doing the ranting and raving really well,” Trump Jr. said with a smile. “I want to thank Bettina for that one word: ‘Yes.’”
(Donald Trump Jr.)
(Donald Trump)
Standing beside him, Anderson appeared visibly emotional as she shared her own reaction.
“This has been the most unforgettable weekend,” she said. “I get to marry the love of my life, and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.”
From low-key beginnings to center stage
The couple’s relationship first came into public view in August 2024, when they were spotted together at a brunch in Palm Beach, Florida. At the time, the pairing raised eyebrows, as Trump Jr. was still publicly linked to Kimberly Guilfoyle.
By December 2024, sources confirmed that Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle had quietly parted ways, ending an engagement that began in 2020. Shortly afterward, Trump Jr. and Anderson’s relationship became more visible — and increasingly serious.
Anderson joined Trump Jr. for key family moments, including New Year’s Eve at Mar-a-Lago and President Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, signaling her growing role within the Trump family circle.

A new chapter after a long personal journey
Donald Trump Jr., 47, was previously married to Vanessa Trump, with whom he shares five children — Kai, Donald III, Tristan, Spencer, and Chloe. The couple divorced in 2018 after 12 years of marriage.
Sources close to the family have described Anderson as a stabilizing presence in Trump Jr.’s life, noting that the relationship developed gradually but with clear intention. One insider previously told PEOPLE that the two “could go the distance.”
Who is Bettina Anderson?
Bettina Anderson is no stranger to high-profile circles, but her public identity extends well beyond society events. She is the daughter of philanthropists Harry Loy Anderson Jr. and Inger Anderson, and is deeply involved in charitable and advocacy work.
(Bettina Anderson )
(Hope for Depression Research Foundation)
She is a prominent supporter of the Hope for Depression Research Foundation, founded by Audrey Gruss, and is actively involved in Project Paradise, a Florida-based conservation initiative. Anderson also volunteers weekly with the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County, reflecting a long-term commitment to education and community development.
What comes next
While no wedding date has been announced, the engagement marks a significant new chapter for both Trump Jr. and Anderson — one that has unfolded under intense public scrutiny but appears grounded in mutual admiration and shared values.
For now, the couple has asked for privacy as they celebrate the milestone. But with a White House announcement and a presidential seal hovering over their engagement story, one thing is certain: this will remain one of the most talked-about political-society unions of the year.
For more Update – DAILYGLOBALDIARY
Politics
“Egg on Their Face”: DOJ’s Failed Trump Revenge Prosecutions Trigger Legal Embarrassment
From dismissed indictments to grand jury rejections, the Justice Department’s attempts to prosecute Trump critics have unraveled in dramatic fashion
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is facing growing scrutiny and embarrassment after a string of high-profile failures tied to attempts to prosecute critics of President Donald Trump. What was meant to project strength and accountability has instead exposed deep cracks in federal prosecution strategy, according to legal experts and former prosecutors.
In a sequence of setbacks rarely seen in modern federal law enforcement, the DOJ has suffered dismissed indictments, blocked evidence, and, most strikingly, two federal grand juries refusing to indict one of its key targets — New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The most damaging blow came on December 11, when a second grand jury declined to issue charges against James, just days after another grand jury rejected the same effort. Her attorney, Abbe Lowell, called the outcome “unprecedented,” a sentiment echoed by multiple former federal prosecutors.

Earlier indictments against both James and former FBI Director James Comey were thrown out after a federal judge ruled that the special prosecutor who brought the cases, Lindsey Halligan, had been unlawfully appointed. Adding to the DOJ’s woes, a judge also blocked prosecutors from using key evidence against Comey, citing possible constitutional violations.
“This is an embarrassment,” said Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor. “The last thing you want to be as a prosecutor is to be on the defensive — and that’s exactly what’s happening here.”
Trump’s Longstanding Vendettas
Trump’s hostility toward both Comey and James dates back years. He fired Comey in 2017 while the FBI was investigating potential links between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia. James later sued Trump in 2022 for civil fraud related to his real estate business, a case that deeply angered the former president.
In a September 20 social media post, Trump openly called for the prosecution of Comey, James, and Sen. Adam Schiff of California. While investigations were launched, results have been deeply underwhelming.
An NBC News report revealed that the DOJ’s investigation into Schiff has stalled entirely, with internal probes reportedly underway to examine how the case was mishandled. The DOJ has declined to comment on its performance in these matters.
Loyalty Over Experience
According to multiple reports, career prosecutors — including the interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia — had previously concluded the evidence against James and Comey was too weak to sustain charges. Trump publicly criticized and fired the U.S. attorney, later urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to appoint Lindsey Halligan, his former personal lawyer, despite her lack of prosecutorial experience.
Bondi acted swiftly, and Halligan secured indictments against both Comey and James. But the cases quickly collapsed.
In Comey’s case, Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick described a “disturbing pattern of profound investigative missteps,” including possible violations of the Fourth Amendment. Judge Cameron McGowan Currie, a Clinton appointee, ultimately dismissed all charges after ruling Halligan’s appointment unlawful.
“The prosecutions haven’t amounted to much in court,” said Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond. “Except to harass them — which may have been the point.”
Grand Jury Rejections: A Rare Humiliation
Perhaps the most humiliating moment for the DOJ came when two separate grand juries rejected efforts to re-indict Letitia James. Legal experts stress how extraordinary this is.
Former federal prosecutor Mitchell Epner said he sought hundreds of indictments in his career and failed only once. “To go before two grand juries in a week and fail both times is humiliating and a repudiation of the prosecution,” he said.
Barbara McQuade, former U.S. attorney under President Barack Obama, was even more blunt:
“When prosecutors are selected based on loyalty rather than experience and integrity, this is the sort of garbage we can expect.”

Comey Case Still on Shaky Ground
The DOJ has suggested it may try to re-indict Comey, but significant hurdles remain. A federal judge has temporarily blocked prosecutors from using key evidence obtained during a separate 2017 investigation, ruling it may have been seized unconstitutionally.
Even if that hurdle is cleared, prosecutors face another problem: time. The original indictment was issued just days before the statute of limitations expired. Comey’s defense team argues that because the indictment was void, the government cannot rely on the usual six-month extension for refiling charges.
“The DOJ — and Halligan in particular — have egg on their face,” Rahmani said. “These are massive failures by the Justice Department.”
A Pattern of Collapse
What emerges from this saga is not just a legal defeat, but a broader institutional reckoning. From judicial rebukes to grand jury resistance, the DOJ’s efforts against Trump’s perceived enemies have collapsed under scrutiny.
Instead of delivering accountability, the prosecutions have raised uncomfortable questions about politicization, competence, and abuse of power — questions that now hang heavily over the Justice Department itself.
Politics
Bill Maher Sparks Fiery Clash With Ana Kasparian on Israel as Question About ‘That Dress’ Escalates Debate
“Where would you live in the Middle East… in that dress?” Bill Maher’s question turns tense as Ana Kasparian pushes back on his assumptions.
A casual, free-flowing podcast conversation quickly morphed into a heated geopolitical debate when comedian and commentator Bill Maher clashed with Ana Kasparian of The Young Turks during her recent appearance on his show, Club Random.
What began as a typical Maher-style discussion — part politics, part humor, part provocation — took a sharper turn when the topic shifted to the Middle East and whether a Western woman would feel comfortable living there.
Maher, who often stresses that he is not formally aligned with any political organization, posed a hypothetical question to Kasparian:
“Ana, you’ve got to go live in the Middle East… where would you live?”
He began listing countries one by one — Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria — adding commentary that blended sarcasm with dark humor. Kasparian immediately challenged his characterization of Syria, pointing out that parts of the country are still controlled by extremist groups.
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But Maher barreled on, even referencing Yemen “under Houthi rule,” before pivoting to Israel.
“Tel Aviv or the West Bank — Ramallah is wonderful in the fall, it gets lovely,” Maher said. What followed, however, pushed the discussion into far more personal territory.
Looking directly at Kasparian’s outfit, Maher asked:
“What city would you live in? What do you think you’d be comfortable in that dress?”
The remark noticeably shifted the tone of the conversation. Kasparian, known for her direct style on The Young Turks, pushed back firmly, suggesting Maher was oversimplifying deeply complex cultures and ignoring regional differences in laws, norms and women’s rights.
Maher defended his approach, insisting he was speaking about general realities in the region, not making personal judgments. But by this point, the exchange had clearly escalated beyond a casual hypothetical.

A Debate That Mirrors a Larger Global Divide
The tense moment reflected a broader, ongoing debate playing out across social media and political circles: How does the West talk about the Middle East without flattening its complexity?
Kasparian argued that sweeping generalizations — especially about women’s freedoms — feed into stereotypes that oversimplify lived experiences. Maher countered that refusing to acknowledge differences in legal and cultural realities is equally misleading.
As clips of the exchange circulated online, reactions were predictably polarized. Supporters of Maher praised him for “saying the uncomfortable truth,” while fans of Kasparian applauded her for challenging what they viewed as reductive framing.
Why This Exchange Matters
Both Maher and Kasparian command large online audiences. Maher hosts the long-running HBO show Real Time with Bill Maher, while Kasparian reaches millions through TYT’s digital platforms. Their confrontation — part humor, part philosophy, part geopolitics — reflects how discussions about Israel, women’s rights, and Middle Eastern politics have become flashpoints in Western media.
It also highlights something deeper: When conversations about geopolitics intersect with identity and personal appearance, the tension is almost inevitable.
And on Club Random, tension is something Maher rarely shies away from.
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