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Donald Trump threatened to use executive authority to send additional troops into urban centers led by Democrats, as his efforts to activate the military faced court challenges.

Court Official Blocks Portland Military Presence

The president publicly discussed utilizing the emergency legislation after a court official in the state briefly halted a military reserve presence in the city.

"There exists an emergency law for a purpose. If I had to enact it I would do that," Trump told journalists in the Oval Office, adding, "if people were being killed and judicial delays impede action or state and local officials obstruct progress, certainly I would act."

Mixed Rulings on Troop Deployments

A federal judge declined to halt national guard troops from being sent to Illinois after a legal challenge from the state against the administration.

Military personnel could be deployed to the city later this week and the President is also seeking to federalize Illinois' national guard. A similar effort to deploy troops to Portland, Oregon was halted by a judge in that state.

Funding Lapse Continues into Second Week

Federal funding lapse continued for another week, with Congressional leaders making no apparent progress toward negotiating an agreement to restart funding, while the administration warned it was moving forward with plans to slash the federal workforce.

Many agencies and offices ceased operations and instructed employees to stay home after Congress failed to approve legislation to maintain the government's authority to spend money.

Federal Prosecutor Declines Pressure in James Case

An experienced justice official in Virginia has informed associates she does not consider there is sufficient evidence to file criminal mortgage fraud charges against state legal official Letitia James.

The official, Elizabeth Yusi, manages major criminal cases in the Norfolk office for the federal prosecutor for the eastern district of Virginia and plans to soon present her conclusion to the appointed official, a administration supporter, who was installed as the US attorney for the region last month.

Maxwell Appeal Rejected by Supreme Court

The nation's highest court has rejected an appeal from Jeffrey Epstein associate the defendant of her sex trafficking conviction. The defendant in the year was sentenced to two decades incarceration for sex trafficking and associated violations.

Media Appointment at Major Network

CBS News owner Paramount will purchase the Free Press, a media startup founded by Bari Weiss, and has named her top editor of the established broadcast organization. The journalist, 41, has no experience working in network news, though she has carved out a reputation as a heterodox opinion writer and growing media executive.

Other Events

• The administration announced that funds from a federal initiative that subsidizes commercial air service to regional facilities are scheduled to end as soon as Sunday because of the funding lapse.
• The television host appeared more popular than Donald Trump after a spat with the president's administration temporarily left the talkshow host from broadcasting in last month.
• Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has urged Donald Trump to scrap tariffs on his nation's goods and sanctions against its representatives, as the leaders held what the South American government called a "amicable" video call.