On Thursday, first lady Melania Trump hosted the unveiling of a US Postal Service stamp honoring former first lady Barbara Bush at the White House, with former President George W. Bush noticeably absent.
A number of Bush family members and friends, including Neil Bush and Dorothy Bush Koch, packed the East Room to honor the former first lady, who died in 2018 at the age of 92.
Dorothy Bush Koch, the youngest child of the 41st president and first lady, discussed her mother’s role in transforming the White House into a “true home.”
Melania Trump, who has had few public appearances in Washington during her husband’s first three months in office, praised Barbara Bush’s political and family life.
“Mrs. Bush’s legacy is marked by her respect for tradition while also breaking with convention,” Trump said of her mother.
The other Bush children, George W. Bush and Jeb Bush, did not attend the event.
George W. Bush, who has kept a low profile after leaving office, attended President Donald Trump’s inauguration earlier this year. He sat alongside former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President Bill Clinton, and former President Barack Obama.
However, he has generally kept Trump, a fellow Republican, at arm’s length, and the two have a history of mutual criticism.
ABC News contacted George W. Bush’s office for comment on Thursday’s event.
George W. Bush did not support Donald Trump in any of his presidential campaigns. In 2020, he stated that he did not vote for Donald Trump or Joe Biden, but rather for Condoleezza Rice, his secretary of state from 2005 to 2009.
He and his father, the late President George H.W. Bush, criticized Trump in a 2017 book, expressing concern about his impact on the Republican Party and conservative values. George W. Bush condemned the brand of politics embraced by Trump and his supporters in a rare public speech that same year, but did not specifically mention Trump by name.
Barbara Bush once said of Trump, “I don’t understand why people are for him.”
Trump’s criticism of the Bush family escalated during the 2016 Republican presidential primary, when he attacked Jeb Bush as “low energy.” He later boasted of defeating the “Bush Dynasty” following his election victory.
Trump has also repeatedly criticized George W. Bush’s response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the Iraq War.
“Bush led an unsuccessful and uninspiring presidency. “He should not be lecturing anyone!” Trump said in 2021, following George W. Bush’s 20th anniversary speech in which he warned that domestic terrorism posed an equal threat to foreign terrorists.
More than a year after New York Attorney General Letitia James won a half-billion-dollar civil fraud case against President Trump, the Trump administration’s Justice Department has launched a criminal fraud investigation against James, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is overseeing the investigation.
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York John A. Sarcone III told the Albany Times-Union that the investigation was “being handled at this time by the main [Department of] Justice and the Albany FBI field office.”
A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment.
The investigation began after William Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, wrote a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi alleging that James “has, in multiple instances, falsified bank documents and property records to acquire government-backed assistance and loans and more favorable loan terms.”
Pulte claimed James received mortgage deals by falsifying information about multiple properties over several decades. The allegations include listing a home in Norfolk, Virginia as her “principal residence” despite living and working in New York, purchasing a five-family property in Brooklyn with a loan that is only available for homes with four or fewer units, and claiming James’ father signed mortgage documents stating they were husband and wife in 1983.
James has denied the allegations, describing them as “baseless.” On Thursday, James’ office declined to provide comment.
Abbe Lowell, an attorney for James whose firm frequently represents clients who she believes have been unfairly targeted by the Trump administration, has also criticized the investigation.
In a statement to CBS News, Lowell called the allegations “baseless and long-discredited” and said that the investigation “appears to be the political retribution President Trump threatened to exact,” which AG Bondi assured the Senate would not happen under her watch. “If prosecutors are truly interested in the truth, we are willing to confront false claims with facts.”
Last month, Lowell wrote to the Department of Justice, refuting the allegations made in Pulte’s letter. In a letter to Bondi, Lowell described the allegations as “long-disproven” and the investigation as “the latest act of improper political retribution — this time directed at Ms. James — publicly instigated and endorsed by President Trump.”
In February 2024, a New York judge ordered Mr. Trump, his company, and two adult sons to pay the State of New York approximately $364 million. After more than a decade of interest, the figure now exceeds $500 million. Trump has appealed the decision.
The decision followed a lengthy civil trial in which James’ office accused Mr. Trump of leading an effort to obtain favorable loan rates and insurance deals that he would not have received otherwise.
The amount Mr. Trump was ordered to pay reflected the judge’s calculation of how much Mr. Trump and his company profited from the scheme.
Mr. Trump has long been outspoken against the case and James, even suing her unsuccessfully to halt her fraud investigation before the state could file a lawsuit.
Mr. Trump was forced to take the stand during the trial in November 2023, lashing out at James during his hours-long testimony and describing the fraud case as “a terrible, terrible thing.”
Bill Gates sharply criticized Elon Musk in an interview with The New York Times published on Thursday, citing the Tesla cofounder’s role in reducing foreign aid as part of his Department of Government Efficiency program.
The Microsoft cofounder described the cuts made to foreign aid, particularly programs administered by the now-defunct US Agency for International Development, as “stunning.”
“He is the one who cut the USAID budget. He threw it in the wood chipper because he didn’t attend a party that weekend,” Gates told the Times of Musk. “The world’s richest man has been involved in the deaths of the world’s poorest children.”
Gates also mentioned an incident early in President Donald Trump’s tenure in which administration officials claimed that the US was sending condoms to Gaza through foreign aid. In reality, the United States had provided contraception to a province in Mozambique, an African country.
“They cut funding for Mozambique’s Gaza Province. “That is really for drugs, so mothers don’t give their babies HIV,” Gates explained. “But the people doing the cutting are so geographically illiterate that they believe it’s Gaza and condoms. Will they go meet the babies who contracted HIV because the money was cut? “Probably not.”
Gates made the remarks while discussing his plans to give away the rest of his wealth over the next two decades before closing his foundation in 2045.
The Gates Foundation has made significant investments in global public health initiatives, with a focus on childhood diseases.
This is not the first time Gates has criticized Musk, or vice versa.
Gates claims Musk has destabilized foreign politics by supporting right-wing causes in the United Kingdom and Germany. He also stated that, while he believes Tesla is having a positive environmental impact, he wishes Musk would be more vocal about the climate crisis.
Musk, in turn, claims that Gates has a “limited” understanding of artificial intelligence.
Musk, DOGE, Tesla, and the White House did not respond to Business Insider’s requests for comment.
Washington – According to a memo obtained by Reuters, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has issued internal instructions to the Pentagon to begin kicking out transgender troops who do not choose to leave on their own terms by June 6.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Reuters contacted transgender rights activists, who immediately condemned the decision.
“It is just shameful,” said Jennifer Levi, senior director of the pro-LGBTQ legal organization GLAD Law.
“It is senseless to fast track people out of the military who are meeting standards and putting lives on the line to defend the country.”
Hegseth’s memo demonstrates how President Donald Trump’s administration intends to act quickly to remove thousands of transgender service members following the Supreme Court’s decision on Tuesday, which cleared the way for a ban to take effect.
In the memo, Hegseth stated that active-duty transgender troops could identify themselves for “voluntary separation” from the US armed forces until June 6. Reserve troops had until July 7th.
“On conclusion of the self-identification eligibility window, the Military Departments will initiate involuntary separation processes,” the memorandum stated.
The Pentagon’s ban is one of several steps taken by the Trump administration to restrict transgender rights.
In January, after assuming the presidency, Trump issued an executive order reversing a policy implemented by his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, that allowed transgender troops to serve openly in the American military. Biden stated at the time, “America is safer when everyone qualified to serve can do so openly and with pride.”
There were 4,240 transgender troops on active duty and in the National Guard in the United States as of late last year, according to officials. Transgender rights advocates have given higher estimates.
Greenbrier County, WV – The Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Office has declared the death of a Crichton man who had been missing since November a homicide.
According to an official press release from the Sheriff’s Office, Sergeant S. Murphy and Trooper H. Ware of the West Virginia State Police responded to a wooded rough terrain area in Nicholas County on Saturday, May 3, following an anonymous tip.
An anonymous tip suggested that the body of a missing person from Greenbrier County was possibly present.
After investigating the area, authorities discovered human remains and secured the crime scene.
The West Virginia State Police Crime Scene Team, the Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Team, and lead investigators all arrived and processed the scene.
The body was taken to the medical examiner’s office for identification and the cause of death.
Audie Carl Sloan’s (AJ) body was identified by examiners, and his death was determined to be a homicide.
Sloan’s family reported his disappearance on November 26, 2024.
The Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Office and West Virginia State Police are in charge of this open investigation.
We will provide additional information as the investigation progresses.
As Rite Aid prepares for potential store closure sales, the drugstore behemoth is working out the specifics of closing all of its approximately 1,240 locations – but with a caveat.
Rite Aid, founded in 1962, is a national drugstore chain in the United States with thousands of locations, competing with pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens.
Pharmacy chains have struggled in recent years due to a variety of factors, including decreased prescription reimbursement, high theft rates, and rising costs.
Shifting consumer habits have also had an impact on the industry, as customers spend more of their money with online retailers and competitors such as Amazon and Walmart, which offer more competitive pricing.
The temporary financial boost that drugstores received during the pandemic as a result of their role in issuing vaccines had an impact as well.
As a result of these difficulties, drug stores across the United States are struggling to turn a profit, with approximately one out of every three US retail pharmacies closing since 2010.
Rite Aid has been severely impacted by these industry-wide challenges, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday.
It was the “only viable path forward for Rite Aid,” a company spokesperson told The Sun.
Rite Aid CEO Matt Schroeder explained that the company’s problems stemmed from financial difficulties that were “intensified by the rapidly evolving retail and healthcare landscapes.”
The company currently operates 1,240 stores in 15 states and intends to begin the process of selling all or a portion of them to a buyer.
Rite Aid is currently “in active discussions with multiple potential buyers,” according to the spokesperson.
Rite Aid will also “initiate store closing sales” at its stores and eventually close all locations that have not been sold, according to its bankruptcy filing.
According to the spokesperson, Rite Aid will no longer own or operate any store operations or assets that are not sold during the bankruptcy process.
“This means that over the next few months, all Rite Aid distribution centers will close, and all stores will either close or be operated by a new owner,” according to a Rite Aid spokesperson.
The pharmacy giant announced that it has secured $1.94 billion in new financing to keep its store fleet operational during the bankruptcy proceedings and potential sale.
As Rite Aid goes through the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process, the pharmacy chain is working to ensure a smooth transition for its customers.
“As we move forward, our key priorities are ensuring uninterrupted pharmacy services for our customers and preserving jobs for as many associates as possible,” said the company’s CEO.
Rite Aid customers will continue to be able to access pharmacy services and products in-store and online, including prescriptions and immunizations, according to a news release.
Bankruptcy is a specific legal process that helps companies eliminate debt they can’t repay.
The process allows businesses to start fresh and gain access to new credit.
Supervised by federal courts, bankruptcies allow a company to sell off its assets more easily to pay off creditors, according to Investopedia.
Chapter 11, a common process for companies, is used to restructure a business with the goal of remaining open – even if it means selling off most of the company’s properties.
Chapter 7, on the other hand, sells all of a company’s assets, putting it out of business.
Chapter 15, alternatively, allows for collaboration between American and foreign courts to conduct bankruptcy proceedings with “parties of interest involving more than one country,” per the United States Courts.
The company said it is working on transferring customer prescriptions to other pharmacies.
Customers can use the Rite Aid store locator tool to find the contact information for their local store.
Rite Aid’s bankruptcy filing this week is its second in less than two years.
The company first filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2023, citing a variety of factors, including competition from Walgreens and CVS.
Rite Aid also struggled with declining sales and the rapid rise of e-commerce, making it difficult for the company to repay its debt.
The pharmacy chain was nearly $4 billion in debt at the time, struggling to manage payouts from several lawsuits related to its role in the opioid epidemic.
Rite Aid is not the only drugstore chain struggling to stay open.
Walgreens is also on the list of major pharmacy companies closing stores, with 500 locations set to close.
Meanwhile, CVS confirmed that one million patients in 17 states will lose coverage, with the CEO warning of “pharmacy deserts.”
The major US retailer returns with another adaptable and practical product for the summer season and hotter days.
As the spring season winds down, summer will soon arrive, and Walmart has you covered.
Hot and sticky days can be a pain, but the Ktaxon 5100 BTUPortable Air Conditioner & Dehumidifier takes care of that.
Available now on the Walmart website for $179.99, you can save $319.50 if you order today.
The unit is designed with your comfort in mind, making it both reliable and simple to use.
Primarily, the 300 square foot cooling range is intended to cool every corner of the room.
You can also choose between three speed modes: low, medium, and high.
These modes allow you to control how cool you want to be and how powerfully you want the air conditioner to blast.
This also gives you control over your own energy efficiency, which is something to consider.
The rolling wheels make it simple to move the cooler from room to room.
Furthermore, a remote control allows you to operate the machine without ever leaving your seat.
You can set up the digital panel on the face up to 24 hours ahead of time.
You can also make use of the sleep mode.
But that is not all; this unit also functions as a dehumidifier and fan, ensuring that you are prepared for whatever the summer has in store for you.
The filter is washable and should be rinsed at least twice a month.
It weighs 45.2 pounds and draws 110 volts of electricity when in use.
The product description states, “Experience ultimate climate control with our Portable Air Conditioner.
“This versatile 4-in-1 unit combines cooling, heating, dehumidifying, and fan modes to provide year-round comfort in your home or office.
“WiFi connectivity allows you to easily control and monitor the temperature and settings with your smartphone or the included remote control.”
“This portable air conditioner comes with a window kit for easy installation and offers efficient energy-saving performance.”
It is well known that the longer seniors wait to receive retirement benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA), the more money they have in their monthly checks.
Financial experts frequently advise Americans to wait until they reach their full retirement age (FRA) before claiming Social Security benefits.
While it is permissible to begin taking the money at age 62, this is not considered the FRA, and those who did so would not receive the full extent of their benefits.
But what determines the FRA for 100% benefits?
It remained 65 for several years before Congress made changes in 1983.
It was then raised gradually to account for potentially longer life expectancies.
Since then, the FRA has gradually increased every two months, depending on a senior’s birth year and month.
For those born between 1955 and 1959, the FRA is between 66 and 67.
Those born in 1957 reached their FRA at 66 years and six months, which began in 2023.
According to CBS News, if you were born a year later in 1958, you would be 66 years and eight months old when the FRA goes into effect in September 2024.
As of May, those born in 1959 have reached the age of 66 years and 10 months.
That means people born that year can receive FRA benefits between March 2025 and January 2026.
It is ideal to use the
Exactly when that happens will be determined by their birth month.
Here’s how to supplement your Social Security:
Given the uncertainty surrounding Social Security’s long-term future, it’s essential for workers to consider ways to supplement their retirement income.
Senior Citizens League executive director, Shannon Benton recommends starting early with savings and investing in retirement accounts like 401(k)s or IRAs.
Anyone born in 1960 or later must be at least 67 years old to receive the FRA.
The current average FRA amount is around $4,018, but this varies by case.
Those born in 1959 would be better off waiting for their FRA this year.
According to Pinecrest Lake, if they had obtained it at the age of 62 instead of waiting, their benefits could have been reduced by up to 29.17 percent.
Even FRA is not the best time for those looking to maximize their Social Security benefits.
If an American decides to continue waiting to take benefits, amounts will still increase until 70, when they are maxed out, thanks to “delayed retirement credits” from the Social Security Administration.
According to Gal Wettstein, a senior research economist at Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research, 70 is typically the best age to begin receiving Social Security benefits for relatively healthy adults.
“I am not in the advice-giving business, but I can say things about averages,” Wettstein told USA Today.
“When you just look at averages, you are better off postponing claiming until as late as possible, until 70.”
Nonetheless, according to a Bankrate study, most Americans begin receiving benefits at the age of 62, rather than FRA or 70.
Robert Brokamp, senior adviser at The Motley Fool, and Monique Morrissey, senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, identified two key reasons for this shift.
Americans who took the benefits right away either did not expect to live long or were desperate for the money.
“Many people do not have enough savings,” Morrissey told the paper.
“And it also makes people nervous to draw down their savings, even if it is the right thing to do.”
Not to mention, SSA funds are still expected to run out soon, with retirees receiving only 83% of them by 2035 unless changes are made, according to CNBC.
Approximately one million Americans have yet to receive their “Fairness” increase for Social Security as of this month.
Seniors are also experiencing lengthy application delays, with one woman recently told she would have to wait 230 days for a review.
The spring season is in full swing, and a major US retailer is offering a simple way to brighten your garden.
It is the perfect time to spruce up your garden, and Costco is offering a deal for just $20.
One social media user recently revealed her latest purchase, which is sure to add color to your backyard.
The shopper proudly displayed their newly acquired blueberry plant, complete with sprouting branches and vibrant green leaves.
The lovely plant stands out in the shopping cart, towering above everything else in sight.
The caption for the post on the Reddit thread read: “No item in my cart has turned as many heads as the $20 blueberry plant.”
Customers were eager to learn more about it in the comments.
One person asked for advice; perhaps they will also take the blueberry leap.
They asked, “It is a nice one. Have you planted them before? I was wondering if you could get fruit just from planting one plant.”
The original poster replied: “No, this is my first time. The tag says they ripen between mid-May and mid-June.
“So, I am not sure whether I should plant them now or after the harvest. Consult a gardener.”
The rest of the thread agreed that the novice should plant it right away so that it can get some moisture.
The US Sun recently revealed an ideal way to store your new blueberry plant, which is available at Walmart right now.
The retailer has reduced the price of its greenhouse by $1,331, selling for $468.99 down from $1,799.99.
The greenhouse has convenient sliding panels and a sturdy aluminum frame, allowing you to enjoy your home regardless of the humidity.
It also has a UV-resistant coating, which significantly reduces the amount of harmful rays you are exposed to.
In addition, the greenhouse absorbs sunlight, which it converts into energy.
Adjustable ventilation keeps you cool and comfortable indoors, and with height adjustable windows, you have complete control over how your plants live.
It will keep you from cooking inside the warm greenhouse, allowing you to spend as much time as you want tending to your growing plant family.
The product description reads: “NETAJE greenhouses are designed to be simple to assemble, with an intuitive quick-install system and user-friendly slide-in panels.
“After more than 500 rounds of rigorous testing, our team fine-tuned the installation, resulting in a 50% faster installation and 35% increased stability.
“As a result, garden enthusiasts can now immerse themselves in the joy of cultivating flowers with unparalleled speed and efficiency, fostering a thriving garden oasis that blooms with life and beauty.”
The popular wholesale retailer has seen an increase in demand for the trendy item.
Costco has entered the precious metals market with pure, one-ounce gold bars.
The warehouse giant’s 24-karat gold bars have caused a sensation, selling out within hours of restocking.
Its newfound popularity has prompted the company to impose purchase limitations.
These limits are intended to manage the overwhelming demand that resulted from the item’s viral success.
Costco’s gold bars were first introduced in 2023 and ranged in price from $1,950 to $1,980.
The bars offer options such as the PAMP Suisse Lady Fortuna Veriscan and South Africa’s Rand Refinery.
Despite the high price, these bars are flying off the shelves.
According to a Bloomberg survey, approximately 77% of Costco stores in 46 states experienced sellouts in the first week of October 2024.
Costco imposed a purchase limit in response to the excessive buying.
This limits members to two gold bars per transaction within a 24-hour period.
The limit is set to ensure wider access for members while maintaining inventory moderation.
A climate of economic uncertainty could be driving the surge in demand for alternative investments.
Analysts at Wells Fargo estimate that Costco’s gold bullion sales generate between $100 million and $200 million per month.
However, financial experts warn that investing in gold is not without risk.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has warned that precious metals are volatile.
Because precious commodities are not always safe investments, the CFTC stressed the importance of due diligence.
Despite these warnings, Costco’s gold bars continue to draw a wide range of customers.
The company’s reputation for quality and value has made it a preferred destination for bullion enthusiasts.
Costco has even expanded its precious metals selection to include silver coins and one-ounce platinum bars.
With purchase limits in place and a growing product line, Costco is navigating the gold rush by taking strategic steps to balance customer interest and inventory management.