U.S. Justice Department Orders Intensified Probe Into Antifa and Domestic Extremist Groups 
Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Medicaid Funding Restrictions Targeting Planned Parenthood 
U.S. Bomber Flights Over Sea of Japan Signal Strong Alliance With Tokyo Amid China-Russia Drills 
U.S. Pressures ICC to Limit Authority as Washington Threatens New Sanctions 
Trump Pardons Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández in Controversial Move 
Tunisian Opposition Figure Chaima Issa Arrested Amid Rising Crackdown 
Environmental Group Sues to Block Trump Image on U.S. National Park Passes 
Australia Pushes Forward on AUKUS Submarine Program Amid Workforce and Production Challenges 
US Signals Openness to New Trade Deal as Brazil Shows Willingness, Says USTR Greer 
DOJ Sues Loudoun County School Board Over Transgender Locker Room Policy 
Modi and Trump Hold Phone Call as India Seeks Relief From U.S. Tariffs Over Russian Oil Trade 
US Charges Two Men in Alleged Nvidia Chip Smuggling Scheme to China 
Thailand Moves Toward Early Elections After Parliament Dissolution 
ANZ Faces Legal Battle as Former CEO Shayne Elliott Sues Over A$13.5 Million Bonus Dispute 
Democrats Face Uphill Battle in Midterm Elections Despite Recent Victories, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Shows 
U.S. Bombers Join Japan in Show of Force Amid Rising China-Russia Military Activity 
U.S. Condemns Houthi Detention of Yemen Embassy Staff 
U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is pardoning Tina Peters, a former Colorado county clerk convicted of tampering with voting machines following the 2020 presidential election, even though he has no legal authority to issue such a pardon.
Peters was sentenced in 2024 by a Colorado state court to nine years in prison after being found guilty on seven counts related to a security breach of Mesa County’s election system. Prosecutors said Peters allowed unauthorized individuals connected to Trump allies to access sensitive election equipment, a move that ultimately led to voting machine passwords being leaked and published on a far-right blog. The breach raised serious concerns about election security and the integrity of voting systems.
Indicted in 2022, Peters became a prominent figure among supporters of Trump’s unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. Throughout the investigation and trial, she denied any wrongdoing and portrayed her actions as an effort to protect election integrity. During her sentencing hearing in Denver, Peters remained defiant, stating that she acted only to “serve the people of Mesa County.”
Trump defended Peters in a post on his Truth Social platform, claiming she was imprisoned for demanding “honest elections.” He announced what he described as a “full pardon,” asserting that her actions were aimed at exposing voter fraud in what he continues to call a “rigged” election. The statement quickly drew criticism, as presidential pardon powers extend only to federal offenses, not state convictions.
Because Peters was charged and convicted under Colorado state law, the authority to grant a pardon rests solely with Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat. Legal experts widely agree that any pardon from Polis is extremely unlikely, given the severity of the charges and the broader implications for election security.
Trump has issued or promised numerous pardons in recent months, many involving political allies or white-collar crimes, but the Peters case highlights the legal limits of presidential power. Despite Trump’s claims, Peters remains incarcerated under a valid state sentence, underscoring the distinction between federal authority and state judicial independence.
