Amazon will make a large donation to Trump’s inauguration fund. And more allegations of sexual assault against entertainer Sean “Diddy” Combs. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Dec. 13, 2024.
Amazon to donate $1 million to Trump inauguration fund
Another big tech company has announced a large donation to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund. Amazon confirmed Thursday night, Dec. 12, it is planning to donate $1 million to the fund.
This marks another sign of tech companies working on forming a closer relationship with Trump than they had during his first term in office. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is reportedly set to visit Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida next week.
The Trump and Bezos relationship has been rocky in the past with the president-elect taking issue with reporting in the Washington Post –– another one of Bezos’ companies.
In addition to the $1 million cash donation, various reports indicate Amazon also offered a $1 million in-kind donation to stream the inauguration on its Prime Video service.
Amazon’s move comes a day after Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced a similar donation. Its founder, Mark Zuckerberg visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago just weeks ago.
Both Zuckerberg and Bezos were among the big tech executives to congratulate Trump on his election win in November.
After ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, President-elect Trump spoke with CNBC’s Jim Cramer on the trading room floor about working alongside major tech companies and their leaders during his second administration.
“Mark Zuckerberg’s been over to see me,” Trump said. “I can tell you that Elon [Musk] is another, and Jeff Bezos is coming up next week. I want to get ideas from them. We want them to do well. We want everybody [to do well] and we want great jobs. Fantastic salaries. We want people to love, and when they wake up in the morning, get up and [say,] ‘I love to go to work.’ We want people working and we want them working for a lot of money.”
Despite their strained history, Bezos in recent weeks has changed his tone when it comes to the president-elect. Last week, during a New York Times conference, he said Trump is “calmer than he was the first time and more confident, more settled.”
Inspector general’s probe finds FBI not involved in Jan. 6 attack
A new report released by the Justice Department inspector general Thursday found no federal agents were directly involved in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The long-awaited report found no evidence undercover FBI employees were among the thousands of Trump supporters who stormed the building.
The report also found 26 confidential informants for the FBI were among the crowd that day, but only three were assigned by the FBI to attend the rally. The report said none of them were directed by the bureau to “break the law” or “encourage others to commit illegal acts.”
One of the confidential human sources assigned by the FBI to be there was among four sources in total who entered the Capitol building that day. The other two assigned by the FBI entered the restricted area around the Capitol.
Republican Congressman Jim Jordan told Fox News, “The FBI had encouraged and tasked confidential human sources to be at the Capitol that day. Four entered the Capitol and weren’t charged, which is not the same treatment that other Americans received.”
The report said the bureau should have done a better job communicating with field offices nationwide before Congress met that day to certify the 2020 election results.
Trump’s incoming border czar meets with NYC mayor
New York City’s Democratic Mayor Eric Adams met with President-elect Trump’s incoming border czar Tom Homan on Thursday.
Trump made immigration and immigration enforcement a centerpiece of his 2024 presidential campaign, vowing mass deportations.
New York is the country’s largest sanctuary city and has laws in place limiting how local agencies cooperate with federal deportation efforts.
While the sanctuary city status is determined by the city council, not the mayor, Adams has said he supports a bill to roll back parts of the city’s sanctuary policies.
“We’re going to protect the rights of immigrants in this city that are hardworking, giving back to the city in a real way,” Adams said after his meeting with Homan Thursday. “We’re not going to be a safe haven for those who commit repeated violent crimes against innocent migrants, immigrants and longstanding New Yorkers.”
We are a city of immigrants, and we will always be true to those roots, but we also have to be honest and be clear that our immigration system is broken and a small number of repeat, violent offenders are taking advantage of that broken system. pic.twitter.com/Rp0ZITJNJt
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) December 13, 2024
Adams added, “We’re going to tell those who are here, who are law-abiding, to continue to utilize the services that are open to the city, the services that they have a right to utilize: educating their children, health care, public protection and the things that we have long been proud for in doing so. But we will not be a safe haven for those who commit violent acts.”
After the meeting with Adams, Homan sat down for an interview with TV personality Dr. Phil. Homan said he believes the things he and Adams discussed “may save lives.”
Border Czar @RealTomHoman first interview since meeting with Mayor @NYCMayor pic.twitter.com/Cm8TuXtLeQ
— Dr. Phil (@DrPhil) December 12, 2024
“This isn’t going to be neighborhood sweeps and military vehicles going through the city,” Homan told Dr.Phil. “I’m not asking him to be an immigration officer. I’m not asking NYPD to be immigration officers. I want them to be cops that work with cops to take public safety threats off the streets of New York and make New York safer. Migrant crime is sky high here.”
Just days after winning the election, Trump tapped Homan to serve as border czar. Homan is a former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a proponent of tough border policies, such as rounding up and deporting migrants, who are in the country illegally and have committed crimes.
Adams seemed to agree on Thursday, saying, “it’s important to go after those who are committing serious crimes, particularly those dangerous gangs that have come from Venezuela and now we’re finding them on the streets of our country.”
UN: More than 1.1. million Syrians displaced since fall of Assad regime
More than one million people have been displaced since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria less than a week ago, according to the United Nations. It’s also reporting food shortages are now widespread in Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city.
This weekend, Jordan will host a summit including foreign ministers from Western and Arab nations to discuss ways to support a smooth transition of power after rebels ousted the country’s long-time leader in a coup last Sunday, Dec. 8.
It also comes as the U.N. chief has voiced concerns over the country’s sovereignty after Israel launched hundreds of air strikes and deployed ground troops in Syria. Israeli officials claim they’re trying to prevent arms from falling into “the wrong hands” by destroying military installations and weapons sites.
Meanwhile, a man from Missouri reported missing in Hungary has been found in Syria. Missionary Travis Timmerman, 29, was reportedly found walking the streets of Damascus barefoot Thursday after being held in a prison there for several months. You can read Karah Rucker’s full report here.
3 men accuse Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs of sexual assault
There are new accusations against hip hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. Three men accused Combs of drugging and raping them during incidents that took place between 2019 and 2022 at a nightclub and ritzy New York hotels.
One of the men has been identified as a former employee of Combs. Their lawyer, who filed the anonymous lawsuits Thursday night, said Combs used his power and wealth to take advantage of them.
The men are seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages.
In a statement, Combs attorneys said the claims are full of lies.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of racketeering and sex trafficking. He remains in federal prison in Brooklyn after being denied bail.
Look up! Geminid meteor shower peaks this weekend
Stargazers, it’s the time of the year again to look up for the Geminid meteor shower. The annual December display will light up the night sky as it peaks this weekend.
Unlike most meteor showers which originate from comets, the Geminids come from an asteroid.
NASA said the Geminid is considered one of the best opportunities for young viewers since it starts around 9 or 10 p.m.
To best view the meteor shower, experts said you should find a dark spot and leave the binoculars at home and just watch with the naked eye. NASA said it may take around 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark before you can see the shower, but the show will last hours, and you will have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.
