U.S. President Donald J. Trump spoke in Jerusalem this morning, October 13th, 2025, before the Israeli Knesset, celebrating the end of the war in the Gaza Strip and the release of the remaining twenty hostages held by Hamas. During his remarks, President Trump also advocated for the dropping of all charges against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or a presidential pardon, according to reporting from X user @sentdefender. Over the past hour, China has firmly rejected the U.S.'s recent restrictions and sanctions, stating that it will take necessary actions to protect its legitimate rights and interests. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China communicated that threatening China with high tariffs is not an effective engagement strategy and urged the U.S. to correct its wrongdoings and adhere to agreements made between the two presidents, advocating for dialogue to manage differences. In parallel, the White House and State Department press corps have expressed strong solidarity with Pentagon reporters who are reportedly facing imminent loss of regular press access this week, as per a joint statement shared by X user @KToropin. Former President Barack Obama criticized President Trump's deployment of the National Guard to Chicago, calling it a "deliberate end run around not just a concept, but a law that’s been around for a long time" – the Posse Comitatus Act. Obama stated in an interview with Marc Maron on the WTF podcast that this action is a "genuine effort to weaken how we have understood democracy," and that concessions made by firms, universities, and businesses to Trump are part of an effort to avoid being "bullied" based on criteria developed by Steve Bannon. Separately, Sean Duffy commented on the "No Kings" protests, describing them as part of antifa and "paid protesters," questioning their funding, according to reporting from X user @atrupar. Previous reports from within the reporting window detailed concerns raised by an individual named Bessent regarding Chinese manipulation of American soybean farmers, stating they had been turned into "pawns" and that farmers overwhelmingly supported President Trump, believing he would protect their financial stability. Earlier today, seven hostages were released, and confidence in a Gaza ceasefire remained high. Additionally, previous reports highlighted the arrest of an exonerated man by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Chicago for deportation and allegations of escalating ICE operations in the city.
