President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Colombian President Gustavo Petro, whom Trump has labeled a "drug trafficking leader," according to a statement from Spectator Index on October 25th, 2025, between 2:32 AM and 3:32 AM UTC. This action occurred as President Trump departed for a multi-country trip to Asia, including stops in Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea, as reported by Rapid Response on October 25th, 2025, at 3:32 AM UTC. Trump himself reiterated his accusation about Petro before his departure, stating, "He is a drug trafficking leader, the president of Colombia is a drug trafficking leader," as shared by Juan Esteban Sr. on X. In New York City, mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is defending his Muslim faith against "racist, baseless attacks" as early voting is set to begin, according to AJENews. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo expressed concern that a Mamdani victory could lead to Donald Trump "tak[ing] over New York City," with tanks appearing on Fifth Avenue. Meanwhile, President Trump has accused Merrick Garland, Lisa Monaco, and Jack Smith of rigging the 2020 election, despite them not holding power during his presidency, and of "tap[ing]" lawmakers' calls prior to the Biden administration, according to an observation by kylecheney on X. These claims were made as the nation continues to grapple with a government shutdown, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer previously stating that Congressional Republicans must act to resolve the issue while the President is abroad. In related developments from previous reporting windows, the U.S. Justice Department announced it would monitor polling sites in California and New Jersey amid the shutdown. Previous reports also noted that officials were referring to the White House ballroom as “The President Donald J Trump Ballroom.” President Trump had previously stated his intention to take action against cartels without congressional authorization, indicating he would "kill people that are bringing drugs into our country."
