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We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
ICE reportedly to target Haitian migrants as protected status ends
In a developing story, Jonathan Fahey, who previously served as acting director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.), sheds light on imminent operations aimed at Haitian migrants. These efforts will focus on those whose Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is nearing expiration. Fahey clarifies that these individuals will first be identified and then encouraged to opt for voluntary departure from the United States before any stringent enforcement measures take place.
In other news, Liberia has taken a significant step by declaring its readiness to accept up to 1,200 deportees from the United States over the forthcoming year, as part of a bilateral agreement between the two nations.
This accord represents one of the most substantial of its kind during the aggressive immigration policy period under the Trump administration. The move follows a visit from Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai, who was among five West African leaders invited to the White House last year for discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Jerolinmek Piah, Liberia’s Information Minister, reported that the first batch of 20 deportees is anticipated to land on Liberian soil this Thursday. This marks the commencement of the broader repatriation process under the agreement.
The cohort of 1,200 deportees set to arrive over the next 12 months will consist not only of Africans but also include individuals hailing from North America, South America, and the Caribbean, Piah added, highlighting the diverse origins of those involved.
Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai was one of five West African leaders who traveled to the White House last year to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump.(AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)
Piah said the deportees would be received “as guests,” adding that they could leave when they wanted and apply for asylum in Liberia.
He also said Liberia will receive support from the U.S. to manage the program and strengthen its migration system. But he said the deal was not part of a quid pro quo with the U.S. government and that the African nation was not demanding compensation in exchange for taking in the deportees.
“Liberia’s gesture is entirely humanitarian and in keeping with the country’s longstanding traditions,” he said. “The government of Liberia intends to provide the transferred persons with the necessary support to seek protection in Liberia and to be safe during their stay here.”
Liberia’s government referenced its historical ties to the United States, including its roots in a 19th-century settlement established for free and formerly enslaved Black Americans and its history as a country with “a long history of accepting people seeking refuge from political and other crises.”
The first group of 20 deportees are expected to arrive on Thursday.(REUTERS/Thierry Gouegnon)
Liberia’s Justice Minister Natu Oswald Tweh said that the country has screened the migrants ahead of their arrival.
“Most of them are people who had immigration violations and offenses,” he said.
The Liberian government said the arriving deportees are not criminals and are not being prosecuted under U.S. or Liberian law.
Since Trump returned to the White House in January of last year, his administration has reached several deals with African countries to accept third-country deportees, including in some cases migrants who have legal protections barring their return to their countries of origin because of risks of torture, persecution or other abuses. It was not immediately clear whether any members of the group being sent to Liberia have such protections.
The agreement marks one of the largest arrangements of its kind under the Trump administration’s aggressive anti-immigration crackdown.(Aaron Schwartz / AFP via Getty Images)
Under several agreements that have not always been publicly disclosed in full, the administration has deported thousands of people to nearly two dozen countries that are not their own, with about 10 of them in Africa, according to immigration advocates.
The administration has defended the third-country deals as lawful, saying federal immigration law permits the government to remove migrants to willing third countries. The Supreme Court last year stayed a lower-court order that had imposed additional procedural requirements on third-country removals while litigation continued.
The U.S.-Liberia agreement says Liberia will not return a transferred person to their home country while a protection claim is pending and that both governments intend to act consistently with their obligations under refugee and anti-torture law.
Rights groups say some migrants have been sent to countries they have never visited or where they could face safety risks, potentially increasing pressure on them to return to their countries of origin.
Other African countries that have taken in third-country deportees include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Ghana and Sierra Leone.
Warning: The content of this story contains graphic details.
Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann’s son, Kroy Biermann Jr., found himself in a troubling situation as he was arrested for alleged sex crimes, with his mug shot revealing a stoic demeanor.
At 15 years old, KJ, as he is commonly known, maintained a blank expression while dressed in a black T-shirt for the photo taken by the Alpharetta Police Department, which was later acquired by Page Six.
The incident, which led to KJ’s arrest, involved charges of aggravated sodomy and aggravated sexual battery, and occurred in Alpharetta, Georgia, on a recent Wednesday.
Court documents reveal that a female classmate accused KJ of an assault that allegedly took place in a gym’s changing area on April 23. She reported to authorities that KJ allegedly forced himself on her, ignoring her refusal, while they were in a co-ed sauna.
Per the filing, KJ allegedly attempted “multiple times to have sexual intercourse with her by trying to pull down her pants.” He is also accused of forcing oral sex and digitally penetrating her vagina.
The alleged victim “managed to get away from him,” after which KJ allegedly “pulled up his pants and left,” the filing claims.
The female classmate claimed she did not tell anyone about the alleged assault and went to school the following day, where she allegedly “ran into KJ’s girlfriend.” She allegedly fled the property and went to a Starbucks, where she contacted her family to let them know she was having a panic attack, court papers state.
She went to the North Fulton Hospital in Georgia for an examination on April 24. A police report states that there was no evidence of male DNA in her mouth or vagina, according to the examination.
KJ was taken into custody on Monday and is being held without bond at the Juvenile Court of Fulton County. He is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 1.
The teen’s attorney, Jason Sheffield, claimed in a statement to Page Six that his client is “100% innocent” and that he “tried to present evidence to the arresting officer, including a passed polygraph by a notable and respected sex offender polygrapher,” and claimed he has “evidence of other prior false allegations by the alleged victim.”
“Additionally, the officer’s report notes [that investigators] found no male DNA on or inside the areas the alleged victim claimed she was assaulted. The fact that he’s been arrested and is being held without bond is a tragedy,” Sheffield said in part.
“He is not only presumed innocent, but is, in fact, innocent. I’m asking the public not to presume the truth of these allegations and to give the families on both sides their space and privacy,” his statement concluded.
His mom also addressed KJ’s arrest in an exclusive statement to Page Six on Friday.
“The allegations being made against my son are nothing short of reckless and deeply troubling,” the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star’s rep told Page Six in a statement.
“He categorically denies ever being involved with this woman or engaging in the conduct she has alleged.”
The Bravo alum claimed her son voluntarily took a polygraph examination regarding the allegations and passed.
“Additionally, an examination was conducted, and no DNA belonging to my son was found,” the statement continued. She claimed, “We are also aware that this individual has made similar allegations involving two other people, which raises serious concerns that deserve to be carefully examined.”
Zolciak said in the statement that “false accusations” can have “devastating consequences” for the person being accused, as well as “for genuine survivors of sexual assault and abuse.”
“Every legitimate allegation deserves to be taken seriously and investigated based on the facts and evidence. At the same time, no one should be publicly condemned based solely on an accusation,” she wrote.
The statement concluded, “We remain confident that the facts and evidence will establish the truth, and we ask that people allow the proper process to take its course rather than spreading unproven allegations.”
Zolciak and her estranged husband, who have been locked in a contentious divorce since 2023, co-parent KJ and his siblings — Kash, 14, and twins Kaia and Kane, 12. Zolciak is also mom to daughters Brielle, 29, and Ariana, 24, from previous relationships.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.
New York Knicks’ shooting guard, Josh Hart, is finding his footing as a newly minted NBA champion. However, some aspects of his life remain constant, including the comforting rhythm of home with his wife, Shannon Hart (née Phillips), and their 3-year-old twins.
“With so many demands tugging at you, it’s crucial to have a solid foundation — a reliable place to return to,” Hart, 31, shared exclusively with Us on Thursday, August 20, while discussing his new venture as a Scouting America ambassador.
He expressed the importance of his wife’s unwavering support which has been a pillar since his NBA journey began with the Los Angeles Lakers on October 20, 2017. “They stand by your side through everything—whether that’s accompanying you to appearances or working out together. The season keeps us constantly on the move; on game days, it’s basically, ‘Walk through, nap, and get in the car.'”
He emphasized, “Having that consistent support system to rely on provides immense comfort.”
Josh Hart is reveling in a summer full of triumphs, having played a key role in the New York Knicks securing their first NBA championship in over five decades. Among the highlights of this season of joy was attending the lively wedding of his fellow teammate, Karl-Anthony Towns, to Jordyn Woods earlier this month.
Hart and his wife have been together since August 2021 and share 3-year-old twin boys Hendrix and Haze. After joining the Knicks in 2023 after the franchise acquired the guard via a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for three players — Cam Reddish, Ryan Arcidiacono and Svi Mykhailiuk — and a future draft pick, Hart helped the Knicks win their first NBA Finals Championship over 50 years.
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Now that he has a NBA ring to go with his NCAA championship hardware (Hart was a member of the 2016 Villanova Wildcats championship team), the athlete is looking to the future while navigating superstardom and keeping one foot firmly planted on the ground thanks to his family.
Gabrielle Union, Ayesha Curry, Jordyn Woods and more stars have settled down with professional basketball players over the years. The Bring It On actress, for her part, met Dwyane Wade in 2007 at a Super Bowl party. The two called it quits in early 2013 due to conflicting schedules and long-distance difficulties, but rekindled their […]
“August has been the most chill time that I’ve kind of had, and I still have stuff that I’m doing,” he said of his post-championship summer. “I’m out east and now I’m able to kind of separate myself from it and appreciate it. But initially, it was just a whirlwind. You’re doing so many different things — you’re doing interviews here, you’re doing brand appearances where. You’re doing — I didn’t go to the ESPYs, thankfully — but you have award shows.”
He continued, “You have all these things that you’re doing, so it’s really just a sprint — you’re just trying to do all these things, and I think that that’s, like, one part that kind of sucks about it because you’re trying to do all these things and then, you know, you pick your head up and it’s almost September … and you’re like, ‘Now I gotta get back to work.’ And they’re gonna crown a new champion — hopefully it’s us — again in June. You don’t want to lose time to actually appreciate it, but it’s tough.”
A new controversy is brewing in Hollywood, as a former Disney star accuses Miley Cyrus of bullying behavior from years past.
Jordan Pruitt, who found fame touring alongside iconic acts such as the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, and the Cheetah Girls in the early 2000s, has made these claims in a recently surfaced Instagram comment. The conversation, which caught fire on Reddit, has many buzzing.
Her remarks came in response to an old social media clip where Cyrus purportedly mocked fellow Disney alums Lovato and Selena Gomez. In the comment, Pruitt remarked, “This is how Miley treated everyone back in the day, including me lol.”
The revelation spurred a fan to chime in, asking Pruitt to “give us the tea.” This encouragement led her to divulge more about the alleged incidents.
Pruitt recounted, “Miley used to call me and leave mean voicemails with her friend Mandy, telling me I needed a nose job, new teeth, and even a choreographer lol,” further intensifying the discussion surrounding the past actions of the pop sensation.
The singer, 35, ended her comment by calling the “Party In The U.S.A.” artist, 33, “relentless.”
Pruitt’s post about Cyrus’ alleged mean-girl behavior amassed more than 1,000 likes at the time the screenshot was taken.
Cyrus’ rep did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
This isn’t the first time Pruitt has dragged Cyrus publicly. In March, Pruitt revealed in an Instagram comment that she wrote her song “Boyfriend” about the “Flowers” singer,” according to a screenshot shared on X.
“You’re not gonna steal my boyfriend/ You’re not gonna steal him, not now,” Pruitt sings in the 2008 tune.
At the time, rumors swirled that Pruitt was dating Nick Jonas, though their romance was never confirmed. Meanwhile, Cyrus dated Jonas between 2006 and 2007.
Pruitt is best known for her 2006 song “Outside Looking In,” as well as her hit, “Jump to the Rhythm,” from the 2007 Disney Channel movie “Jump In!,” which stars Corbin Bleu and Keke Palmer.
The teen songstress put out two albums through Disney’s Hollywood Records and toured with several of the network’s major acts.
She took her talents to “The Voice” in 2012, where she competed as a member of Christina Aguilera’s team. Just five years later, she retired from her music career.
In 2019, Pruitt sued Disney, Hollywood Records and former manager Keith Thomas, alleging that he sexually abused her beginning when she was 14 years old and that the record label failed to protect her.
Pruitt claimed that Thomas took her virginity and once drugged and anally penetrated her, according to the August 2019 lawsuit obtained by Page Six.
“Unfortunately, these large companies are primarily concerned with sales, money and charts,” Pruitt said in a statement to Variety at the time. “Too often they fall short of protecting the young talent that they are ‘supposed’ to be caretakers for… I couldn’t be more disappointed in how Disney treats their underage talent like cash cows.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex found their time in the United States to be more challenging than expected.
Prince Harry’s experiences in America did not unfold as anticipated
It has come to light that Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are planning to return to the UK from California with their two children—Prince Archie, now seven, and Princess Lilibet, aged five. Former royal butler Grant Harrold has shared insights on what may be driving this unexpected decision.
Speaking six years after the couple stepped down as Senior Royals in order to move to Meghan’s native USA, Grant told Us Weekly: “It is clear their time in America did not go to plan. We see that through the Netflix deal and some of their other commercial decisions. I think there are multiple factors at play. I suppose the dream life in the US that they imagined didn’t come off.”
Harry and Meghan signed high-profile deals with Netflix and Spotify after moving to the US but their projects for the streamers were met with mixed reviews.
In a picturesque mountain region of the United States, a unique parking challenge has hikers sacrificing their sleep, waking at the break of dawn to secure desirable parking spaces.
At Wyoming’s Lupine Meadows Trailhead, enthusiastic visitors fill up the limited parking by as early as 7:30 a.m., causing vehicles to spill over onto grassy verges and transforming single-lane roads into crowded thoroughfares stretching a mile in each direction.
This problem isn’t confined to just one spot; it affects much of Grand Teton National Park as well as the nearby affluent areas of Jackson, Wilson, and Teton Village in Teton County, the wealthiest county in the nation with a per-capita income of approximately $533,000.
Queues to enter the park often begin forming before 7 a.m., and the overflow leads to hikers illegally parking in restricted areas, which in turn blocks other motorists from exiting gracefully.
Officials are increasingly worried, noting that such parking habits could obstruct emergency vehicles from reaching crucial trailheads, potentially risking safety.
Police have been forced to ticket people, and in some cases even tow the most egregious offenders, Teton Park Superintendent Chip Jenkins told Jackson Hole News & Guide.
‘This year, we’re really feeling something different,’ Mr Jenkins told the outlet. ‘We’re seeing a substantial increase in the number of people parking in no parking zones, blocking the lane of traffic, blocking people in.’
Natural attractions such as Jenny Lake, Delta Lake and Death Canyon in the summer, and world-class skiing at the Jackson Hole and Snow King Mountain Resorts, consistently draw millions of tourists to Teton Park every year.
Throngs of tourists visiting Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming are causing lots to fill up as early as 7am. Cars are pictured driving by a full parking lot sign in the park
The situation has led to terrible parking etiquette and cars parking on shoulders for up to a mile outside popular trailheads
Park officials have said cars are blocking roads, stopping people from leaving and potentially hindering emergency vehicles
Grand Teton National Park and mountain range are located in Teton County, which is the wealthiest county in the US
And visitation to the park has grown steadily over the past decade, while the use of trailheads in the region has increased even more dramatically.
Grand Teton National Park experienced a 4.5 per cent increase in visitor numbers in June and July of this year compared with the same period in 2017, and trail use in the park soared by 18 per cent over the same time frame.
The surge has been driven by a post-pandemic interest in reconnecting with the outdoors, National Parks Conservation Association spokesman Kati Schmidt told JH News & Guide.
Meanwhile, viral videos on social media have showcased the park’s small lots filling up shortly after sunrise, advising people to arrive as early as possible if they want to secure spots close to popular trailheads.
That has driven peak visitation levels from 9am or 10am closer to 8am, according to data from traffic counters and revenue collection at entrance stations, Teton Park Superintendent Jenkins told JH News & Guide.
Mr Jenkins said he believes the trend of earlier visitation is here to stay. ‘This is our future. This is not a one-year blip,’ he said.
But solving the issue of parking etiquette and car overcrowding is not expected to be easy.
National Parks are protected land, and simply building bigger parking lots would damage the environment and ecosystem and take from the natural splendor that draws visitors in the first place.
Use of Teton Park’s trailheads has grown tremendously over the past decade, driven by a post-pandemic interest in reconnecting with nature
Peak visitation times have gone from 9am or 10am closer to 8am in Teton Park , according to data from traffic counters and revenue collection at entrance stations
Park officials have been encouraging tourists to explore less popular areas of the park and arrive later in the day
Some parks use shuttle systems to alleviate traffic, but that solution appears ill-fitted for Teton Park, as parking is already so limited and overcrowded that there would be no obvious places for shuttles to pick up and drop off passengers.
Park officials have been studying visitor numbers and patterns to work on a solution, but for now, the strategy has been to promote spreading out visitation.
Tourists have been encouraged to arrive at trailheads in the late afternoon and early evening, and to explore less popular areas of the park.
‘Grand Teton is so much bigger than just Jenny Lake, Lupine and the LSR,’ Jenkins told JH News & Guide.
‘There are many places where people can go where there is capacity – visitors as well as people from the local community.’
Paul Gigot, along with Wall Street Journal columnists Kim Strassel, Kyle Peterson, and Elliot Kaufman, took center stage to scrutinize New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s controversial action concerning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Initially, Mamdani pledged to pursue Netanyahu’s arrest, but later retracted his statement. The panel delved into the legality of this situation, highlighting Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s determination to dismantle the International Criminal Court (ICC) due to its contentious jurisdiction and perceived threats to U.S. sovereignty.
The Trump administration took a bold step by imposing sanctions on two prominent International Criminal Court officials. This action signals an intensification of efforts to dissolve an institution that has been probing alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan and has issued arrest warrants for senior Israeli figures linked to the Gaza conflict.
In a strong denunciation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the sanctions on ICC President Tomoko Akane of Japan and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal. He labeled the court as “corrupt and fatally politicized,” reflecting a firm stance against its actions.
Rubio condemned the ICC for targeting officials whose governments have not agreed to its jurisdiction. “These individuals have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials,” he declared, accusing the court of “maliciously abusing its authority and exceeding its mandate.”
The ramifications of these sanctions are significant. Akane and Seye face frozen assets in U.S. jurisdictions, and their financial dealings with Americans or within the U.S. financial system are now severely restricted.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable on the American mining industry at the State Department on August 7, 2026, in Washington, D.C.(Eric Lee/Getty Images)
“Our whole of government campaign to dismantle the threat posed by the ICC to national sovereignty will be sweeping and we expect more countries to join our campaign by ending their funding and participation in this politicized and unaccountable court,” Rubio said. “The ICC’s ability to target American nationals and those of other non-States Parties must end.”
An executive order signed by President Donald Trump in February 2025 created the sanctions’ framework.
The Trump administration argues that the ICC lacks the power to investigate soldiers, military commanders and political leaders from countries that are not parties to the court, including the U.S. and Israel.
International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane speaks to the press after meeting with members of the European Parliament’s Human Rights Committee in Brussels, Belgium on March 19, 2025.(Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The ICC said the Trump administration’s latest sanctions “undermine the rule of law,” adding that they amount to “a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution.”
“Such measures targeting judges, prosecutors and staff who work towards the fulfilment of the mandate that was conferred to the ICC by States undermine the rule of law,” the ICC said in a statement.
The court continued: “When judicial actors are threatened for applying the law, it is the international legal order itself that is placed at risk. Threats and coercive measures also impact the ability of victims to seek justice, as they turn to the Court when all other avenues have been exhausted.”
The ICC maintains that it can exercise jurisdiction over nationals of non-member states when they are accused of qualifying crimes committed on the territory of a state that has accepted the Court’s jurisdiction.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a news conference in Jerusalem on June 15, 2026.(RONEN ZVULUN / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
Qualifying crimes under the Rome Statute include genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.
Afghanistan and Palestine are both members of the court, which the ICC says allows it to investigate alleged crimes committed on their territories, including alleged war crimes by U.S. personnel in Afghanistan and alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity by Israeli officials in Gaza.
In September 2024, the ICC also issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, the minister of defense at the time.
In a move stirring concern among geopolitical analysts, Donald Trump’s latest overtures to North Korea’s enigmatic leader Kim Jong-un have thrown into question the U.S.’s dedication to its Asian and Pacific allies. Experts fear this dynamic could heighten instability in the already volatile region.
Furthermore, Trump’s actions have rekindled anxieties over North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. The burning question remains whether the U.S. might relent in its firm opposition to Pyongyang’s weapons program—a scenario that could have extensive consequences.
This tension escalated on Monday when the United States declared a significant scaling down of joint military exercises with South Korea and Japan. This announcement sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles, potentially undermining the robust defense alliances woven throughout the region and leaving many surprised.
Trump took to social media to reveal this decision, labeling the exercises as expensive and “conveying a message that is entirely inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea. Previously, Pyongyang has criticized these collaborative military drills, vowing a formidable response to what it perceives as provocations.
Nevertheless, the timing of this unexpected decision coincides with Trump hinting at a potential meeting with Kim Jong-un, prompting widespread speculation about the true nature of their peculiar diplomatic relationship.
South Korean president Lee Jae Myung said on Wednesday he recognised Trump’s “will and efforts to create conditions for dialogue” with North Korea through the reduction of the exercise.
“President Trump’s message this time feels like a major decision made with careful consideration to create peace on the Korean Peninsula, moving beyond hostility and confrontation,” he wrote on social media.
Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow for Southeast Asia and South Asia at the US think tank the Council on Foreign Relations, told SBS News the US decision was in one way unsurprising, given its stated foreign policy shift away from global hegemony and toward influence over the “Western hemisphere” alone.
However, he said it was another significant step toward the potential “fading” of the US defence umbrella as allies “no longer feel” that umbrella is as “reliable as it used to be”.
“As a result, and this includes Australia, they are taking various measures.” He said this includes strengthening regional defence ties and increasing military spending.
That said, United States Studies Centre CEO and former National Security Council director for Asia, Michael Green, told SBS News that “the hub-and-spoke” US regional strategic alliance network “survives” the Trump administration as there’s “no other option”.
He said the multi-layered “networking of these traditional US allies is necessary” to counter the risks of a rising China and a loss of US maritime dominance in the Pacific.
“That alone explains 80 or 90 per cent of why you have the Quad [the security alliance between Australia, India, Japan and the US], why you have AUKUS, why you have the US-Japan-Australia trilateral,” he said.
Why Trump wants to meet Kim
During his first term in office, Trump made history as the first sitting US president to meet Kim Jong-un and visit North Korea.
Despite their tumultuous relationship — Kim had previously described Trump as “mentally deranged” while Trump branded him “little rocket man” — the US president later said the pair “fell in love”.
Their three meetings across 2018 and 2019 yielded little, with Trump refusing to accept Kim’s demands for total sanctions relief in exchange for partial denuclearisation.
Relations between the two nations iced over during the Biden presidency, and Trump has had little to do with North Korea during his second term until now.
On Wednesday, Trump announced he would be meeting with Kim later in the year — potentially in November during the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China — but has yet to announce any specific details or goals for such a meeting.
On social media, Trump noted that joint military exercises are expensive and that South Korea has not supported the US in seeking to open the Iran-blockaded Strait of Hormuz as motivation for his sudden change of heart.
“Kim Jong-un has always treated me with great respect and we met on numerous occasions, actually, two primary occasions, spoken and spent time. I understand him. He understands me,” Trump said on Monday as he alluded to the idea that the pair have been communicating.
Professor in international relations and comparative politics at the University of Sydney, Justin Hastings, told SBS News that he would “struggle to think” what the “point” of a meeting between the two would be, but said North Korea was likely to come out of it better off than the US.
In discussing his relationship with Kim, Trump said that North Korea “has 57 very powerful nuclear weapons” and that, while he “should have never allowed it… he’s got them”.
“I get along with him very well. I can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon. And I know Kim Jong-un very well. And he’s going to be fine,” Trump said.
The comments further normalise North Korea’s claims to nuclear weapons, in a significant break from US historic policy, which is to demand North Korea give them up.
“If you’re in a situation where the US actually does drop denuclearisation as a policy goal, this will have long-term ramifications for regional security without North Korea actually giving up anything in return,” Hastings said.
Green, however, does not believe that Trump is focused on any short-term political ambition but is instead “looking for legacy”.
“Trump was very successful as a television performer, as a businessman, and as a politician by dominating the news cycle,” he said.
“Part of the answer is; his political fortunes are failing, he’s stuck with the war in the Middle East, he’s not able to tackle inflation, economists anticipate that prices won’t go down before the midterms, so he’s going back to a playbook he knows well, which is just keep changing the subject.
“It’s worked before … But it’s going to have no impact on the politics right now in the US, and probably no positive impact in world diplomacy.”
For North Korea, circumstances are also vastly different from what they were in 2018. Green argued Kim “doesn’t need Trump as much” now, because North Korea is getting “robust support from Russia and China”. In recent years, the country has strengthened ties with its neighbours and has deployed tens of thousands of troops in the war in Ukraine.
What could happen
On Tuesday, Defence Minister Richard Marles said Australia remains “very concerned” about the North Korean nuclear weapons program and that missile tests are a huge issue for the country, even if they appear less so to the United States.
“Australia is very concerned about North Korea’s nuclear program, as well as its missile program,” Marles said at a press conference with Japanese defence minister Koizumi Shinjiro. He added that South Korea remained “critically important” for both Australian and Japanese trilateral security.
Former South Korean ambassador Lee Baek-soon recently wrote that the US-led world order — the “Pax Americana” system — is “at a tipping point” following the war in Iran, and that South Korea and Australia should strengthen ties as a result.
“While one can put all one’s eggs in one basket during periods of stable order, it is wise to put one’s eggs in multiple baskets during times of great rupture,” he wrote. “Rather than rely on the power of others for their survival, nations must rely on their own power and the power of solidarity.”
Whether or not Trump and Kim will meet remains uncertain. On Thursday, Kim’s sister cast doubt over talks, denying that there had been any communication between her brother and Trump.
Kim Yo-jong did, however, say that the pair’s relationship is “still excellent” and that Kim still has “good memories” of the US president.
Kurlantzick said that, at the most extreme end, the US shift could hasten nuclear weapons proliferation throughout Asia and could result in Japan and South Korea having atomic bombs.
“There’s already strong South Korean support for greater homegrown defence capacities,” Kurlantzick said. “This is only going to help that more.”
“If Japan and South Korea, which are wealthy countries with the ability to produce nuclear weapons in a relatively short period of time, move towards producing nuclear weapons, it would be incredibly destabilising … but isn’t out of the question.”
US midterm elections
However, he also believes that the upcoming midterm elections could shift support back toward a more globally-looking US, depending on their outcome.
“Congress, in the last few years, has handed over a lot of powers to president Trump and has been pretty compliant,” he said. “That could change after the 2026 midterm elections; there’s a lot of support in Congress for the policy of supporting US partners in Asia and that includes Australia.”
Hastings said US allies like Australia were being forced into hedging their bets: increasing defence spend in a way that is consistent with US demands while building regional partnerships in the belief that the US might not follow through when needed.
“We’re entering a period where there’s a great deal more uncertainty, and it’s one where countries would benefit by finding other sources of security in addition to continuing to rely, to a certain extent, on what the US is willing to provide.”
Green, who served on the US National Security Council and negotiated with North Korea under the Bush administration while advising the US during the 2018 negotiations, said that the US has shocked Asia in the past but that relationships are often quickly patched up.
Opinion polling for US support, including one released by the Lowy Institute in June, shows that trust in the US is the lowest it has been in decades across the globe. However, as Green points out, support for military alliances with the US is “at record highs” in Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines while remaining “pretty steady” in Australia.
“Trump is unpopular around the world,” Green said, but structural support “is quite robust”.
“The worrisome part is, as his political power weakens, his disposition to do things like this South Korea game … might increase.
“His way of doing things is, when the going gets tough, go out there and get publicity and do something shocking. That could get even more wild in the in the next year or so.”
In a delightful twist of fate, a city in Northern California, once infamous for its somber Gold Rush-era executions, is now vying to become one of America’s most festive Christmas towns, courtesy of the Hallmark Channel.
Nestled in El Dorado County, Placerville was established in 1848, initially known as Dry Diggins. It later acquired the grim moniker “Hangtown” due to its darker past.
The gold found in the nearby rivers and mountains during the Gold Rush era attracted a flood of newcomers, and a series of frontier justice hangings during this time cemented the town’s unfortunate nickname until 1854.
Fast forward to today, and this quaint town of approximately 10,300 residents is celebrated for something much more joyful: its vibrant Christmas festivities.
Placerville finds itself among 25 communities nationwide competing in the Hallmark Channel’s Merriest Christmas Towns contest, a highlight of the network’s 25-year anniversary celebration.
The city’s holiday traditions include the Hangtown Christmas Parade, the Hometown Holiday on Main celebration and Christmas Tree Lane, when a stretch along Highway 50 is decorated with Christmas trees and lights.
The public will be able to vote in the contest, while a panel of judges will also help select the “Merriest Christmas Town,” according to the Hallmark website.
The towns will be judged on their “community spirit, holiday traditions, neighborhood charm, and goodwill.”
Other communities in the running include Ashland, Oregon; Bemidji, Minnesota; and Berlin, Maryland.
Each of the 25 communities participating in the contest has already been designated an Official Hallmark Christmas Town.
But the grand-prize winner will receive an even bigger distinction: the opportunity to serve as a filming location for a Hallmark movie.
Voting is open online once per day through 11:59 p.m. ET on Sept. 4, 2026.
