President Joe Biden discussed efforts to address the unprecedented flow of migration along the U.S. southern border in a Friday afternoon call with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

Biden and the Mexican leader spoke for 52 minutes, the White House said. Press secretary Jen Psaki called the conversation was "very constructive" and said it focused on coordination around migration and economic issues.

The planned end on May 23 of the public health ban on asylum seekers could lead to a rush of migrants to the U.S.-Mexico border. Lopez Obrador tweeted that the conversation was "cordial" and focused on "issues of interest to the bilateral relationship."

López Obrador said, “It’s important that there’s this communication, to listen to President Biden who has treated us with respect, as President Trump also treated us with respect, and we have to ensure a good relationship."

López Obrador is scheduled to visit Central American countries along with Cuba next week. He plans to speak to counterparts about economic development and social programs.

The White House says that President Joe Biden will formally call on Congress to "take action" in keeping "weapons of war" off of streets and "keep guns out of the hands of criminals and people who have serious mental illness."

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre made the comments aboard Air Force One to the press as the president traveled to Buffalo, New York on Tuesday to visit the area of a mass shooting there at a supermarket called Tops Market.

As the Associated Press reported, the shooter, Payton Gendron, was described as a quiet, socially awkward student. He once reportedly threatened a murder-suicide while at school and was put under a mental evaluation, then released later the next day when investigators are said to have stopped looking into the matter as serious.

Gendron is accused of shooting and killing 10 people at the Buffalo supermarket. Most of the victims were said to be in their 50s or older. Investigators described the attack as  “racially motivated violent extremism.”

“It is my sincere hope that this individual, this white supremacist who just perpetrated a hate crime on an innocent community, will spend the rest of his days behind bars. And heaven help him in the next world as well,” said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Gendron shot 11 Black people and two white people before he surrendered to police.

The $40 billion U.S. package of assistance for Ukraine as it tries to fend off Russia's aggression is hitching a ride on a commercial flight to South Korea so it can be signed by President Joe Biden.

The Senate voted Thursday to finalize new military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine as Biden was making his way to the South Korean capital. A White House official says the bill is being flown to Seoul by a U.S. government official who was already planning to travel to the region on a commercial flight.

As the Associated Press reported, bills that have needed an urgent signature have been routinely flown by White House aides for decades to the location of the sitting president, if they were abroad.

Then-President George W. Bush flew back to Washington from his Texas ranch to in 2005 to sign legislation that would require doctors to continue feeding a comatose Florida woman, Terri Schiavo. Her husband wanted to let her die.

WASHINGTON —

No fingerprints or DNA turned up on the baggie of cocaine found in a lobby at the White House last week despite a sophisticated FBI crime lab analysis, and surveillance footage of the area didn't identify a suspect, according to a summary of the Secret Service investigation obtained by The Associated Press. There are no leads on who brought the drugs into the building.

U.S. Secret Service agents found the white powder during a routine White House sweep on July 2, in a heavily trafficked West Wing lobby where staff go in and out, and tour groups gather to drop their phones and other belongings.

"Without physical evidence, the investigation will not be able to single out a person of interest from the hundreds of individuals who passed through the vestibule where the cocaine was discovered," Secret Service officials said in the summary.

It's most likely the bag was left behind by one of the hundreds of visitors who traveled in and out of the building over the weekend, according to a person familiar with the investigation who was not authorized to publicly discuss the ongoing probe and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The presence of cocaine at the White House prompted a flurry of criticism and questions from Republicans, who requested a briefing Thursday on the probe. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden believed it was "incredibly important" for the Secret Service to get to the bottom of how the drugs ended up in the White House. The Secret Service is responsible for securing the White House and led the investigation.

Biden wasn't there at the time of the discovery. He was at Camp David with members of his family for the holiday weekend.

The complex was briefly evacuated as a precaution when the white powder was found. The fire department was called in to test the substance on the spot to determine whether it was hazardous, and the initial test came back negative for a biohazard but positive for cocaine.

The bag was sent for a secondary, more sensitive lab analysis. Homeland Security's National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center analyzed the item for any biothreats. Tests conducted at the facility came back negative.

The cocaine and packaging underwent further forensics testing, including advanced fingerprint and DNA work at the FBI's crime laboratory, according to the summary. The FBI also did chemical testing.

Meanwhile, Secret Service investigators put together a list of several hundred individuals who may have accessed the area where the drugs were found. Anyone who comes through the White House must give identifying information and pass through security before entering.

But the lab results didn't turn up latent fingerprints or DNA, so agents can't compare anything to the possible suspect pool. White House staff are fingerprinted; participants in tour groups are not.

Video of the West Executive street lobby entrance did not identify the person or provide any solid investigative leads, the Secret Service said.

The lobby is open to staff-led tours of the West Wing, which are scheduled for nonworking hours on the weekends and evenings. Those tours are invitation-only and led by White House staff for friends, family and other guests. Most staffers who work in the complex can request an evening or weekend tour slot, but there is often a long waitlist. There were tours on the day, a Sunday, the drugs were found, as well as on the two preceding days.

The Situation Room, where staffers would drop their phones before entering, has been undergoing construction work and was not in use at the time the baggie was found, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said last week.

WASHINGTON —

Related video above: Deadly rocket strike hits Ukraine apartment building

The White House on Monday said it believes Russia is turning to Iran to provide it with “hundreds” of unmanned aerial vehicles, including weapons-capable drones, for use in its ongoing war in Ukraine.

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said it was unclear whether Iran had already provided any of the unmanned systems to Russia, but said the U.S. has “information” that indicates Iran is preparing to train Russian forces to use them as soon as this month.

“Our information indicates that the Iranian government is preparing to provide Russia with up to several hundred UAVs, including weapons-capable UAVs on an expedited timeline," he told reporters Monday.

Sullivan said it was proof that Russia's overwhelming bombardments in Ukraine, which have led it to consolidate gains in the country's east in recent weeks, were "coming at a cost to the sustainment of its own weapons."

Sullivan's revelation comes on the eve of President Joe Biden's trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia, where Iran's nuclear program and malign activities in the region will be a key subject of discussion.

The U.S. decision to publicly reveal that the two countries' chief regional rival was helping to rearm Russia comes as both Israel and Saudi Arabia have resisted joining global efforts to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine due to their domestic interests.

Sullivan also noted that Iran has provided similar unmanned aerial vehicles to Yemen's Houthi rebels to attack Saudi Arabia before a ceasefire was reached earlier this year.

Military analyst Samuel Bendett of the CNA think tank said Russia’s choice of Iran as a source for drones is logical because “for the last 20 years or more Iran has been refining its drone combat force. Their drones have been in more combat than the Russians'.” They are pioneers of so-called loitering munitions, the “kamikaze” drones like the Switchblade that the U.S. has provided Ukraine.

Iran has “a proven track record of flying drones for hundreds of miles and hitting their targets,” Bendett added, including penetrating American-supplied air defenses and striking Saudi oil refineries. He said the Iranian drones could be very effective at striking Ukrainian power stations, refineries and other critical infrastructure.

Bendett noted that before the Ukraine war, Russia had licensed drone technology for its Forpost UAV from a proven supplier: Israel. The Jewish state has remained neutral in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, so that source is no longer available to Moscow.

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Associated Press writer Frank Bajak in Boston contributed to this report.

Two former White House aides are expected to testify at the House Jan. 6 committee's prime-time hearing Thursday as the panel examines what Donald Trump was doing as his supporters broke into the Capitol, according to a person familiar with the plans.

Matthew Pottinger, former deputy national security adviser, and Sarah Matthews, a former press aide, are expected to testify, according to the person, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the matter and requested anonymity. Both Pottinger and Matthews resigned immediately after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection that interrupted the congressional certification of President Joe Biden's victory.

The two witnesses will add to the committee's narrative in its eighth, and possibly final, hearing this summer. The prime-time hearing will detail what Trump did — or did not do — during several hours that day as his supporters beat police officers and broke into the Capitol.

Previous hearings have detailed chaos in the White House and aides and outsiders were begging the president to tell the rioters to leave. But he waited more than three hours to do so, and there are still many unanswered questions about what exactly he was doing and saying as the violence unfolded.

A spokesperson for the committee declined to comment. CNN was the first to report the identity of Thursday’s witnesses.

Lawmakers on the nine-member panel have said the hearing will offer the most compelling evidence yet of Trump’s “dereliction of duty" that day, with witnesses detailing his failure to stem the angry mob.

“We have filled in the blanks,” Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., a member of the House committee investigating the riot who will help lead Thursday’s session, said Sunday. "This is going to open people’s eyes in a big way.”

“The president didn’t do very much but gleefully watch television during this timeframe,” he added.

Throughout its yearlong investigation, the panel has uncovered several details regarding what the former president was doing as a mob of rioters breached the Capitol complex. Testimony and documents revealed that those closest to Trump, including his allies in Congress, Fox News anchors and even his own children, tried to persuade him to call off the mob or put out a statement calling for the rioters to go home.

At one point, according to testimony, Ivanka Trump went to her father to plead with him personally when those around him had failed to get through. All those efforts were unsuccessful.

Thursday’s hearing will be the first in the prime-time slot since the June 9 debut that was viewed by an estimated 20 million people.

The hearing comes nearly one week after committee members received a closed briefing from the watchdog for the Department of Homeland Security after it was discovered that the Secret Service had deleted text messages sent and received around Jan. 6. Shortly after, the committee subpoenaed the agency, seeking all relevant electronic communication from agents around the time of the attack. The deadline for the Secret Service to respond is Tuesday.

Committee member Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., told The Associated Press on Monday that the Secret Service informed them it will turn over records within the requirements of the subpoena.

WASHINGTON (AP) — There's no reason for China and the U.S. "to come to blows" should House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visit Taiwan during an Asia trip she is expected to make soon, the White House said Friday, underscoring the international tensions surrounding her travel plans.

The remarks by National Security Council spokesman John Kirby came as Pelosi, D-Calif., offered a rationale for a visit to Asia that she had yet to publicly acknowledge. Kirby was asked Friday if the U.S. has noticed any Chinese military preparations due to her travel plans.

"There's no reason for it to come to that, to come to blows, to come to increased physical tension," Kirby said at the White House. "There's no reason for that because there's been no change in American policy with respect to One China."

Seeming to stop just short of saying she would travel there, Pelosi said, "I'm very excited that should we go to the countries, that you'll be hearing about along the way about the conversations" she would have there.

She noted President Joe Biden's focus on Asia and referenced his recent trip to South Korea and Japan, telling reporters, "He has visited there, his vice president has visited, the secretary of commerce and others. And we want the Congress of the United States to be part of that initiative."

Pelosi and her aides have not confirmed her travel plans or named the countries she might visit, citing security concerns. China considers Taiwan its own territory and has said it might reclaim the island democracy by force.

For more than four decades, the U.S. has followed a "one China" policy in which it recognizes Beijing as the government of China yet maintains informal relations and defense ties with Taiwan.

China has objected strenuously to any Taiwan visit by Pelosi, warning of "resolute and strong measures" if she does.

Biden said earlier this month that the Pentagon thinks a Pelosi trip to Taiwan is "not a good idea right now." Senior defense officials who briefed reporters on Friday declined to discuss any potential preparations for a trip.

Biden has designed his foreign policy in part around countering China's growing economic and military might. Pelosi's itinerary has also become a domestic political issue, with some Republicans urging her to visit Taiwan as a show of standing up to Beijing.

Kirby said Friday that Pelosi "does not need nor nor do we offer approval or disapproval" for travel. And he said, "The speaker is entitled to travel aboard a military aircraft."

The military routinely supplies aircraft for travel by lawmakers, which presidents have the rarely used authority to deny. In a highly unusual move, then-President Donald Trump blocked Pelosi and other lawmakers from using a military plane to visit Afghanistan during a 2019 battle over a government shutdown and after she told him to delay his State of the Union address.

Four people were taken to Washington area hospitals with life-threatening injuries after lightning struck near the White House amid a strong storm that blew through the U.S. capital.

On Friday morning, officials confirmed James Mueller, 76 & Donna Mueller, 75, died from the lightning strikes.

The U.S. Secret Service, along with U.S. Park Police, rushed to help two females and two males after seeing a large bolt of lightning strike an area in Lafayette Square, according to Vito Maggiolo, who is a public information officer for D.C. Fire and EMS who spoke to NBC Washington.

The area is just across from the White House, within a short walking distance. Authorities could not give exact injuries or an update on the victim's statuses as of late Thursday night.

As NBC Washington reported, a witness named David Root said he was "in a state of shock." He said, "I just couldn't believe it. Was surreal. I have never seen anything like this in my entire life.”

Root described hearing "a horrific boom" and said he goes to Lafayette Square park in the evening to show support for the people of Ukraine.

A camera trained on the White House used by television stations captured the moment the bolt of lightning hit the area.

Mike Thomas, a meteorologist in Washington, said the bolt "clearly hits either the ground or [a] nearby tree" because sparks are visible in the video.

The White House responded to Thursday's incident.

"We are saddened by the tragic loss of life after the lightning strike in Lafayette Park. Our hearts are with the families who lost loved ones, and we are praying for those still fighting for their lives," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

Maggiolo told the New York Times that “Trees of course, are not safe places” during storms. Lafayette Square is covered in shade trees located in downtown D.C. in an area near tourist attractions, hotels, restaurants and bars.

The strike happened around 6:50 p.m. local time, where the two men and two women were located, in an area across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House in Lafayette Square, in their “immediate vicinity," Maggiolo said.

The CDC says about 90% of people survive lightning strikes, and the odds of being struck by lightning in any given year is less than one in a million.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executed a search warrant on Monday at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida while investigating the handling of presidential documents.

As CNN reported, the former president was not in Florida when the FBI search warrant was executed. Axios reported that Trump was in New York City at the time.

Trump said his Florida residence and resort was "raided" by FBI agents. Trump released the statement on Monday, writing that his "beautiful home" was "currently under siege."

Agents seemed to be focused on an area of the club where Trump's personal residence and offices are located, according to CNN, citing a source familiar with the situation.

Trump released a statement on his Truth Social platform, writing, "After working and cooperating with the relevant government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate."

It wasn't immediately clear what the specific reason for the FBI raid was or what specific part of an investigation it was connected to.

Trump wrote in his statement, "Nothing like this has ever happened to a president of the United States before," he said.

CNN reported that the FBI executed a search warrant at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, located in Palm Beach, Florida.

If fully confirmed, the move will signal that the Department of Justice's investigation into the Jan. 6 insurrection is honing in on Trump himself.

Trump claimed that agents broke open a safe, which, if accurate as the New York Times reported, would be one of the biggest escalations in the multiple investigations into the former president.

Bloomberg reported that the White House has referred questions about the raid to the Department of Justice.

U.S. President Joe Biden has renewed calls for the safe return of American Journalist Austin Tice who went missing in Syria over a decade ago.

On Wednesday Biden urged leaders in Damascus to help secure the repatriation of Tice as pressure continues to increase on the White House by families of hostages and detainees, Reuters reported.

Biden said that the U.S. government knows now "with certainty" that the U.S. journalist has been held by the Syrian government and called on the Syrian government to release him after 10 years in captivity, CNN reported.

Biden said, "We know with certainty that he has been held by the Syrian regime." The president said, "We have repeatedly asked the government of Syria to work with us so that we can bring Austin home."

Biden urged movement on the case for Tice's family, saying, "On the tenth anniversary of his abduction, I am calling on Syria to end this and help us bring him home." He said, "Tice family deserves answers, and more importantly, they deserve to be swiftly reunited with Austin."
 
According to CNN, the Syrian government and leader Bashar al-Assad, have not publicly acknowledged that Tice is being detained there.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Wednesday, "Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens will continue to engage with the Syrian government in close coordination with the White House, Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, and our team here at the State Department."

Carstens secretly traveled to Damascus to meet with government officials there in 2020 while under then president Donald Trump. Then in May, he met with a top Lebanese security official in Washington to "discuss US citizens who are missing or detained in Syria." 

A top priority for the Tice family and U.S. officials is to continue to engage with the Syrian government and keep that engagement sustained.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced earlier this week that they were again extending its waiver deadline for those in need of baby formula.

On Wednesday, the agency said the waivers made available through the federal WIC nutrition program would be extended through the end of the year.

The current waivers were set to expire on Sept. 30.

“USDA recognizes the flexibilities provided by these waivers remain necessary as we continue to pull every lever to address infant formula supply issues and provide certainty for families,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release. “We will continue to work all hands on deck to ensure families can access infant formula, as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government approach to get more safe formula on store shelves nationwide.”

The waiver program was first introduced in June to deal with the infant formula crisis.

The crisis began in February amid the coronavirus pandemic and then was exacerbated after Abbott announced a voluntary recall and then had to shut its Michigan factory due to contamination, the agency said.

The agency said close to 500 waivers have been issued to WIC state agencies.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department and Donald Trump's legal team are to stake out positions Friday on the precise role to be played by an independent arbiter tasked with reviewing documents seized during an FBI search of the former president's Florida home.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had given both sides until Friday to submit potential candidates for the role of a "special master," as well as proposals for the scope of the person's duties and the schedule for his or her work.

The back-and-forth over the special master is playing out amid an FBI investigation into the retention of several hundred classified documents recovered from Mar-a-Lago within the past year. Though the legal wrangling is unlikely to have major long-term effects on the criminal investigation or knock it significantly off course, it will almost certainly delay it and has already caused the intelligence community to temporarily pause a national risk assessment it was doing.

Over the strenuous objections of the Justice Department, Cannon on Monday granted the Trump team's request for the special master and directed the department to temporarily halt its review of records for investigative purposes.

She said the person would be responsible for sifting through the records recovered during the Aug. 8 search of Mar-a-Lago and filter out from the criminal investigation any documents potentially covered by claims of attorney-client or executive privilege.

Roughly 11,000 documents — including more than 100 with classified markings, some at the top-secret level — were recovered during the search. That's on top of classified documents contained in 15 boxes retrieved in January by the National Archives and Records Administration, and additional sensitive government records the department took back during a June visit to Mar-a-Lago.

The Justice Department had objected to the Trump team's request for a special master, saying it had already completed its own review in which identified a limited subset of records that possibly involve attorney-client privilege. It has maintained that executive privilege does not apply in this investigation because Trump, no longer president, had no right to claim the documents as his.

The department on Thursday filed a notice of appeal indicating that it would contest the judge's order to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta. Officials asked the judge to lift her hold on their investigative work pending their appeal, as well as her requirement that the department share with a special master the classified records that were recovered.

It is not clear whether Trump or anyone else will be charged.

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More on Donald Trump-related investigations: https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump

WASHINGTON —

Through history, the Fourth of July has been a day for some presidents to declare their independence from the public. They've bailed to the beach, the mountains, the golf course, the farm, the ranch. In the middle of the Depression, Franklin Roosevelt was sailing to Hawaii on a fishing and working vacation.

It's also been a day for some presidents to insert themselves front and center in the fabric of it all.

In the video player above: A look at which president is said to have had an influence on the tradition of fireworks for the Fourth of July

Teddy Roosevelt drew hundreds of thousands for his July Fourth oratory. In 2019, Donald Trump marshaled tanks, bombers and other war machinery for a celebration that typically avoids military muscle.

Richard Nixon enraged the anti-war masses without even showing up. As the anti-Nixon demonstrations of 1970 showed, Independence Day in the capital isn't always just fun and games. It has a tradition of red, white and boo, too.

In modern times, though, presidents have tended to stand back and let the people party.

George W. Bush had a ceremony welcoming immigrants as new citizens. Barack Obama threw a South Lawn barbecue for troops. Bill Clinton went to the shores of Chesapeake Bay to watch a young bald eagle named Freedom be released to the wild.

In 2021, Joe Biden gathered more than 1,000 people on the White House South Lawn to eat burgers and watch fireworks. That event was noteworthy because such gatherings were unthinkable in the first year of the pandemic. Many wished Biden had not thought of doing it even then — the rampage of the omicron COVID-19 variant was still to come.

Still, the burgers were an improvement from July 4, 1850, when Zachary Taylor wolfed down apparently spoiled cherries and milk (and died five days later. )

A look at what some presidents have done on the Fourth of July:

1777: On the first anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, with the Revolutionary War underway, a future president, John Adams, describes a day and night of spontaneous celebration in Philadelphia in a letter to his wife, Abigail. After hours of parading troops, fireworks, bonfires and music, he tells her he strolled alone in the dark.

"I was walking about the streets for a little fresh air and exercise," he writes, "and was surprised to find the whole city lighting up their candles at the windows. I walked most of the evening, and I think it was the most splendid illumination I ever saw; a few surly houses were dark; but the lights were very universal. Considering the lateness of the design and the suddenness of the execution, I was amazed at the universal joy and alacrity that was discovered, and at the brilliancy and splendour of every part of this joyful exhibition."

Video below: A historian discusses why July 2 is also a significant date as it relates to America declaring its independence

1791: Two years after becoming the first president, George Washington celebrates in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, "with an address, fine cuisine, and walking about town," says the National Park Service. Philadelphia was the interim capital as the city of Washington was being readied. Lancaster had hosted the Continental Congress for a quick, on-the-run session during the revolution.

1798: Now president, Adams reviews a military parade in Philadelphia as the young nation flexes its muscle.

1801: Thomas Jefferson presides over the first Fourth of July public reception at the White House.

1822: James Monroe hangs out at his farm in Virginia.

1826: Adams, the second president, and Jefferson, the third, both die on this July Fourth.

1831: James Monroe, who was the fifth president, dies on this July Fourth.

1848: James Polk witnesses the laying of the cornerstone of the Washington Monument with Abraham Lincoln, then an Illinois congressman, attending. A military parade follows.

1850: Taylor attends festivities at the grounds of the Washington Monument and falls ill with stomach cramps after eating cherries and drinking iced milk and water. He dies July 9. A theory that someone poisoned him with arsenic was debunked in 1991 when his body was exhumed and tested.

1861: Lincoln sends a message to Congress defending his invocation of war powers, appealing for more troops to fight the South and assailing Virginia for allowing "this giant insurrection to make its nest within her borders." He vows to "go forward without fear."

1868: Postwar, Andrew Johnson executes a proclamation granting amnesty to those who fought for the Confederacy.

1902: Teddy Roosevelt speaks to 200,000 people in Pittsburgh.

1914: "Our country, right or wrong," Woodrow Wilson declares at Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

1928: Calvin Coolidge (born July 4, 1872) goes trout fishing in Wisconsin.

1930: Herbert Hoover vacations by the Rapidan River in Virginia.

1934: Franklin Roosevelt is in or near the Bahamas after leaving Annapolis, Maryland, on a monthlong voyage and visit to Hawaii via the Panama Canal. On July 4, the U.S.S. Houston's log refers to the "fishing party" leaving the ship for part of the day.

1946: With World War II over the year before, Harry Truman relaxes in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains at Roosevelt's Shangri-La retreat, later renamed Camp David.

1951: With the U.S. at war in Korea, Truman addresses a huge crowd at the Washington Monument grounds, on the 175th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

1953 and 1957: Dwight Eisenhower = golf.

1968: Lyndon Johnson, who favored his Texas ranch on the holiday, speaks in San Antonio about the lack of independence for the poor, minorities, the ill, people "who must breathe polluted air" and those who live in fear of crime, "despite our Fourth of July rhetoric."

1970: Nixon, in California, tapes a message that is played to crowds on the National Mall at an "Honor America Day" celebration organized by supporters and hotly protested by anti-war masses and civil rights activists. Tear gas overcomes protesters and celebrants alike, Viet Cong flags mingle with the Stars and Stripes, and demonstrators — some naked — plunge into the Reflecting Pool.

1976: As the United States turns 200, Gerald Ford speaks at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, then Independence Hall, and reviews the armada of tall ships in New York harbor.

1987: Ronald Reagan, at Camp David, makes a straight political statement in his holiday radio address, pitching an economic "bill of rights" and Robert Bork for the Supreme Court. On a Saturday, it served as his weekly radio address, which he and other modern presidents used for their agendas.

2008: Bush, like several presidents before him, hosts a naturalization ceremony. More than 70 people from 30 countries are embraced as new citizens.

2010: Obama brings 1,200 service members to the South Lawn for a barbecue. The father of a July Fourth baby, Malia, he would joke that she always thought the capital fireworks were for her.

2012: Obama combines two Fourth of July traditions — celebrating troops and new citizens — by honoring the naturalization of U.S. military members who came to the country as immigrants.

2017: Trump goes to his golf club, then hosts a White House picnic for military families.

2021: Biden tells a crowd on the South Lawn that "we're closer than ever to declaring our independence from a deadly virus." It was the largest event of his presidency since taking office. COVID-19 cases and deaths had dipped to or near record lows at that point but would rebound as the omicron variant spread.

2023: Biden plans to host a barbecue and holiday celebration at the White House for members of the military, veterans and their families.

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Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.

Presidents come and go, but one constant through 10 presidencies has been Dale Haney, the chief White House groundskeeper, who as of this month has spent 50 years serving the families — and many of their pets — who have called the mansion home.

Haney's chief responsibility is to care for the vast lawns, colorful flower gardens, hundreds of trees, thousands of shrubs and burgeoning vegetable garden on 18 acres of property surrounding the White House. He also picks out the official White House Christmas tree every year — and already chose this year's fir from a Pennsylvania farm.

To honor Haney, Biden and his wife, Jill, surprised Haney on Monday by planting an elm tree on the south grounds. Biden said visitors in future years are "going to be looking at this tree and asking, 'Who's Dale?"

Haney joked that he "might still be here."

But Haney is perhaps better known to many at the White House, from staff to Secret Service officers, as the keeper of the president's pets.

"He's like the whisperer," said Anita McBride, who was a young aide in the correspondence office in Ronald Reagan's administration when she first met Haney.

These days, Haney is often seen walking Commander, President Joe Biden's German shepherd.

"The first thing that I think about when I think about Dale is his relationship with the first family's animals," said Gary Walters, who had a lengthy employment record of his own serving four presidents over 20 years as White House chief usher, managing the residence staff.

Walters recalled the chaos of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001 and the evacuation of the White House while President George W. Bush was in Florida. Walters and some of his staff had stayed behind despite the evacuation. They were on the South Lawn when Walters turned around "and there was Dale standing with Barney under one arm and Kitty Cat under the other."

"He had to find them and was looking for direction on what to do with them," Walters said of Bush's Scottish terrier and cat. The pets eventually were reunited with Laura Bush at a remote location.

A two-year plan

Anyone starting a career these days is unlikely to still have that job a half-century later, but Haney's long employment record fits right in at the White House.

He's a member of the operations staff — the scores of housekeepers, butlers, electricians, carpenters, gardeners and others — who aren't involved in the policy or politics. Their job is to keep the place running and take care of the families. Many hold their jobs for decades.

"It's a unique role within the White House," said McBride, who encountered Haney again when she returned to work for Presidents George H.W. Bush and later, for his son.

Haney had planned to work just two years at the White House when he started in 1972, during Richard Nixon's presidency. He had a bachelor's degree in horticulture and wanted to go back to school to continue his studies.

He was interning in the gardens at the Dumbarton Oaks museum in Washington when the White House called over looking for someone who could help with its grounds care. He interviewed and started work six months later as a gardener with the National Park Service, which cares for the White House grounds.

Haney became foreman, then chief horticulturist, before he was promoted to grounds superintendent in 2008, a position that made him part of the White House residence staff. Haney reports to the chief usher, and supervises a full-time staff of 12 gardeners, maintenance workers, electricians and plumbers.

"When I accepted the job I agreed to stay for two years," he said in an interview with White House History Quarterly, a publication of the White House Historical Association. "But the time has gone by so fast that it really doesn't feel like 50 years."

He and his team are so busy that "it has been easy to forget that time is passing. No day is ever the same and every day brings challenges."

Eyewitness to history

Haney, who turns 71 on Nov. 4, has seen gobs of White House history unfold:

Nixon departing the White House by helicopter after he resigned in 1974. President Jimmy Carter overseeing the signing of a landmark peace treaty between Egypt and Israel in 1979.

The crash of a small plane on the grounds in 1994. The evacuation on 9/11. President Barack Obama's "beer summit" in 2009. President Donald Trump hosting portions of the Republican Party's national political convention on the South Lawn in 2020.

Fifty years of annual Easter Egg Rolls and numerous state arrival ceremonies for world leaders, including three visits by Queen Elizabeth II and three different popes. Another state arrival is in the works for France's president on Dec. 1.

The South Lawn will become a wedding venue on Nov. 19 for Biden's granddaughter Naomi.

Working with the East Wing

First families typically find ways to leave a lasting imprint on the White House and sometimes that involves the grounds.

Most recently, Haney helped Melania Trump add a tennis pavilion to the south grounds and renovate the Rose Garden.

"His meticulous attention to detail always ensures and preserves the beauty of the White House grounds for many to enjoy," the former first lady said in a statement to The Associated Press.

Haney also helped Michelle Obama create her 1,100-square-foot " kitchen garden, " which continues to sprout an assortment of vegetables, fruit and herbs. A beehive produces honey.

Laura Bush remembered Haney as "the best friend to all the animals."

"Our dogs Spot, Barney and Beazley adored him," she said in a statement to AP. "They loved him more than they loved us."

Jill Biden announced Haney's public service milestone by tweeting a photo of him with her, the president and Commander in the Oval Office.

Obama and his wife, Michelle, sent Haney a letter thanking him for bringing his "passion" and "expertise to the immensely difficult task of caring for the White House grounds." They added: "We will also never forget how wonderfully you cared for Sunny and Bo," the family's dogs.

"Indeed, you have made and lived history," Bill and Hillary Clinton and daughter Chelsea said in their own note to Haney, also shared with AP.

Guiding star

Haney was one of the first people Debra Dunn met after she was put in charge of the White House visitor's office after the elder Bush took office in 1989.

Easter came early that year, she said, and only one member of her small staff had experience planning events for 30,000 people.

But Haney talked her through some of the logistics, she said, and introduced her to other staffers who could help, like carpenters and florists.

For Halloween, Dunn recalled fretting about a setting and props. Haney told her about an enormous pumpkin from a past celebration that was sitting in a warehouse.

"How would I have known that existed?" she asked in a telephone interview from Paris, where she lives and works. "He was just my guiding star."

McBride said that's why people love Haney.

"Anybody that's worked in the White House has encountered him, whether it's once or a hundred times," she said. "The mere mention of his name just brings a smile to your face because he's so joyful about his job and friendly to everyone."

Americans who got the updated COVID-19 booster shots are better protected against symptomatic infection than those who haven't — at least for now, U.S. health officials said Tuesday.

Updated boosters rolled out by Pfizer and rival Moderna in September have been a hard sell for vaccine-weary Americans. Only about 13% of U.S. adults so far have gotten a "bivalent" shot that targets the omicron strain and the original coronavirus. On Tuesday, White House officials announced a renewed push for more Americans to get the latest shots.

The first look at the new shots' real-world effectiveness shows they work, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert.

Speaking at a White House briefing expected to be his last before he retires from the government at the end of year, Fauci said what "may be the final message I give you from this podium is that please, for your own safety, for that of your family, get your updated COVID-19 shot as soon as you're eligible."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed about 360,000 COVID-19 tests given to people with coronavirus-like symptoms at drugstores around the country between September, when the new boosters rolled out, and early November. Researchers compared the vaccination status of those who wound up having COVID-19 with those who didn't.

The new omicron-targeting booster added 30% to 56% protection against symptomatic infection, depending on how many prior vaccinations someone had, how long ago and their age, the CDC concluded.

People getting the greatest benefit are those who'd never had a prior booster, just two doses of the original COVID-19 vaccine at least eight months earlier, said CDC's Dr. Ruth Link-Gelles, who led the study.

But even people who got a summertime booster of the original vaccine before seeking the new fall formula were 30% to 40% more protected than if they'd skipped this latest shot, she said.

"We think about it as the additional benefit or incremental benefit of getting one more dose, and in this case that one more dose is a bivalent," Link-Gelles said.

The updated boosters target the BA.5 omicron strain that until recently was the most common type, an effort to build on the original COVID-19 vaccines' protection as the virus continues to mutate.

The original shots have offered strong protection against severe disease and death no matter the variant, but protection against mild infection wanes. CDC's analysis tracked only the first few months of the new boosters' use so it's too early to know how long added protection against symptomatic infection lasts.

But "certainly as we enter the holiday season, personally I would want the most possible protection if I'm seeing my parents and grandparents," Link-Gelles said. "Protection against infection there is going to be really helpful, because you potentially would stop yourself from getting a grandparent or other loved one sick."

Even protection against severe illness slipped some when BA.5 surged, the reason health authorities have strongly urged older adults and others at high risk not to skip the new booster.

To that end, the Biden administration announced a six-week campaign urging people — especially seniors — to get the boosters, saying the shots could save lives as Americans gather for the holidays.

The campaign echoes a call earlier this week from the American Medical Association and nearly a dozen other health groups for people to hurry up and get both the COVID-19 booster and their yearly flu vaccination. The flu has hit unusually strong and early this year. Combined with COVID-19 cases and other problematic respiratory viruses, hospitals and doctors' offices are packed.

Some people may be reluctant to get vaccinated or boosted because of a torrent of misinformation about the shots despite evidence that they're safe and have saved millions of lives.

"You can decide to trust America's physicians or you can trust some random dude on Twitter," said Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 coordinator.

Fauci said "as a physician it pains me" that the country's harsh political division has some people refusing vaccination for non-health reasons.

And he noted that while it's important to for people to get the new booster, those most at risk if there's another winter surge will be people who never got the primary vaccine series.

Adding to the uncertainty, relatives of BA.5 are now the most common coronavirus subtypes. Lab testing from Pfizer and Moderna show the updated booster revs up people's levels of virus-fighting antibodies, particularly against BA.5. The companies point to preliminary antibody evidence that the new shots also may offer at least some protection against the even newer omicron subtypes, despite not being an exact match.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

WASHINGTON —

Since taking on the role of White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre has become known for frequently dodging questions by citing the Hatch Act. The law bars civil servants from politicking during their day jobs, and Jean-Pierre uses it to deflect reporters' questions involving campaigns.

But apparently, she wasn't careful enough. The Office of Special Counsel, a government agency that enforces the Hatch Act, said in a recent letter that Jean-Pierre violated the law before last year's midterm elections.

Her offense: Making frequent references to “MAGA Republicans” during White House briefings.

According to a letter from the Office of Special Counsel, Jean-Pierre “made those references to generate opposition to Republican candidates” and “accordingly, making the references constituted political activity.”

The letter was posted online by The Washington Post. It was first reported by NBC News.

Penalties for Hatch Act violations are uncommon, and the office did not recommend any fines or other punishments for Jean-Pierre.

Violations were much more common under President Donald Trump. The Office of Special Counsel sent an "unprecedented" 15 warning letters to senior Trump administration officials about running afoul of the Hatch Act, and it even recommended the firing of top adviser Kellyanne Conway.

Jean-Pierre faced scrutiny after a conservative organization called Protect the Public’s Trust filed a complaint.

The organization said Jean-Pierre was “disparaging President Biden’s political opponents as ‘mega MAGA Republican officials who don’t believe in the law.’”

Jean-Pierre said the White House counsel’s office was reviewing the letter, adding that “we do everything we can" to comply with the law and take it “very seriously.”

“At the time, I was given the sign-off to use that terminology,” she said. Jean-Pierre said the term was used "in the context of talking about their policies, in talking about their values."

She noted that some reporters often express “friendly consternation” about how often she cites the Hatch Act, and she suggested that she was confused by the violation.

After all, she said, Trump’s White House used the phrase “MAGA” about 2,000 times to describe his administration’s policies.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is officially in the race for president.

He filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Elections Commission on Tuesday.

His entry into the race comes one day after former Vice President Mike Pence declared his candidacy.

Christie is scheduled to hold a formal campaign launch at a town hall event hosted at Saint Anselm College's New Hampshire Institute of Politics.

This is Christie's second attempt at grabbing the Republican nomination for president. He ran in 2016 and dropped out after the New Hampshire primary, where he finished in sixth place.

Christie would go on to be one of the first major Republicans to endorse Donald Trump for president.

However, he has increasingly been critical of the former president, who is also running in 2024.

Christie believes Trump gave him COVID-19 while helping him prepare for a presidential debate in 2020. He has also criticized the president for his involvement in the events leading up to the January 6, 2021, attacks on the U.S. Capitol.

Christie takes on a packed field in the Republican race for president. There are now eight men and one woman vying for the chance to lead the party in 2024.

U.S. President Joe Biden underwent a routine physical on Thursday at Walter Reed National Military Center.

White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor released details of the physical which was presented to the public.

In the report, Dr. O'Connor said the president "remains fit for duty, and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations."

The report listed medications the president takes and said that he continues to exercise five days per week.

He is taking at least five medications and is being treated for things like mild sensory peripheral neuropathy of the feet, stiffened gait, seasonal allergies, gastroesophageal reflux and hyperlipidemia.

Electric car giant Tesla will, for the first time, make some of its charging stations available to all U.S. electric vehicles by the end of next year, under a new plan announced Wednesday by the White House.The plan will make at least 7,500 chargers from Tesla's Supercharger and Destination Charger network available to non-Tesla EVs by the end of 2024, the White House said.The plan to open the nation's largest and most reliable charging network to all drivers is a potential game-changer in promoting EV use, a key component of President Joe Biden's pledge to fight climate change. Biden has set a goal that 50% of new U.S. car sales be electric by 2030, and he has promised to install 500,000 chargers across America and build a network of fast-charging stations across 53,000 miles of freeways from coast to coast."As President Biden said, the great American road trip will be electrified," said Mitch Landrieu, a White House aide who oversees implementation of the 2021 infrastructure law signed by Biden.Soon, charging an EV "will be as easy as filling up at a gas station,'' Landrieu told reporters Tuesday ahead of the White House announcement.The plan to open up Tesla's charging network was among a series of developments announced Wednesday by the White House, including new standards to make EV charging networks convenient and reliable for all Americans and made-in-America requirements for EV components.“No matter what EV you drive, we want to make sure that you will be able to plug in, know the price you’re going to be paying and charge up in a predictable, user-friendly experience,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.Standards imposed by the Transportation Department require that EV chargers funded through the infrastructure law be built in the United States, effective immediately. By July 2024, 55% of the cost of all components must come from the U.S.Automakers warned before the rules were issued that imposing made-in-America requirements on EV components could harm EV growth.Biden, who has clashed with Musk over a range of issues, praised the billionaire on Twitter, the social media platform Musk bought last year.Musk's decision to open up Tesla's charging network to all drivers is "a big deal, and it'll make a big difference,'' Biden tweeted late Wednesday.Musk tweeted his thanks to Biden, adding, "Tesla is happy to support other EVs via our Supercharger network."By opening up its network, Tesla will be eligible to compete for federal grants to help create a nationwide charging network. The infrastructure law blocks federal subsidies for chargers that only serve one brand.Tesla, General Motors, EVgo, Pilot, Hertz and other companies have agreed to add thousands of public charging ports in the next two years, using private funds and federal spending from the infrastructure law, "putting the nation’s EV charging goals even closer within reach,'' the White House said.Under the administration's plan, Tesla will set up charging sites at hotels, restaurants and other public spaces in urban and rural locations, the White House said. All EV drivers will be able to access these stations using the Tesla app or website, officials said. Tesla plans to triple its nationwide network of Superchargers over the next few years, the White House said.The developments come after Landrieu and another top White House aide, John Podesta, met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk in Washington last month. Biden did not attend the meeting, which centered on the EV industry and the broader goal of electrification of the U.S. economy, the White House said.A week later, the Treasury Department said it is making more electric vehicles — including SUVs made by Tesla, Ford and General Motors — eligible for tax credits of up to $7,500 under new vehicle classification definitions. The revised standards follow lobbying by Tesla and other automakers to change vehicle definitions to allow higher-priced EVs to qualify for a maximum tax credit.Tesla raised prices on its Model Y SUV within hours of the Treasury announcement.Sam Abuelsamid, principal analyst for Guidehouse Insight, said the agreement to open up Tesla chargers to non-Tesla EVs "is potentially a very big deal."The plan "should be a big help to non-Tesla EV drivers if they can use the Tesla network and if the network remains as reliable as it is today,'' he said. A lack of high-quality public chargers on U.S. roads has slowed the growth of EV sales and is often cited by potential buyers as a leading obstacle to purchase of an EV.While the White House said the Tesla network should be available through use of a company app or website, an adaptor — or even a new charger design — will likely be required for non-Tesla EVs, Abuelsamid said.Mike Ramsey, an analyst at Gartner, said the agreement with Tesla was important on its own, but also as a sign of relative peace between Musk and the Biden administration. Musk has repeatedly clashed with Biden and other Democrats, and as the new owner of Twitter, Musk has released a slew of company information showing internal debates among Twitter employees over a decision to block a story about Hunter Biden, the president’s son.“It's not good for the U.S. government to alienate the top seller of EVs," Ramsey said in an interview.The Biden administration “needs Musk's help to grow EV use” in the United States, he added, and the new agreement "is a sign the government is working with the world's most important EV maker.''

WASHINGTON —

President Joe Biden is set to appear at the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday, marking his first time at the black-tie gathering in Washington since he announced the launch of his reelection campaign earlier this week.

Video above: Comedian Roy Wood Jr. speaks prior to headlining White House Correspondence Dinner

The annual dinner, hosted inside the Washington Hilton, is expected seat thousands of guests in support of freedom of the press. The event raises funds for the White House Correspondents' Association scholarship fund and offers a rare opportunity for journalists and politicians to rub elbows — but also features remarks from a comedian often tasked with walking a fine line between gentle ribbing and legitimate criticism.

The dinner gives Biden a rare chance to flex his comedic muscles in front of entertainers and members of the media. The audience is also expected to be a "who's who" of officials across the Biden administration, and other top White House officials will also be seated at the dais — with first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff set to attend.

Typically, presidential speechwriters work through remarks for a few weeks. Last year, at his first correspondents dinner since becoming president, Biden told his team he envisioned an address that went beyond just a series of one-liners, wisecracks and gags.

Biden's speech is likely to be calibrated to his reelection campaign priorities and the topical issues he so often discusses at the podium — such as the economy and the ongoing war in Ukraine. But undoubtedly, a White House official told CNN, his speech will address the issue of wrongfully detained Americans abroad.

During his remarks, Biden will "speak to the importance of the First Amendment, how critical press freedom is around the world, and his unwavering commitment to bring home wrongfully detained journalists and other Americans," a White House official said in a statement to CNN.

Saturday's dinner will be taking place a month after the arrest of Evan Gershkovich, an American Wall Street Journal correspondent based in Moscow. The United States has designated him as wrongfully detained by Russia.

This week, the U.S. issued new sanctions on groups in Russia and Iran accused of taking Americans hostage as it works to prevent more captive-taking and potentially secure the release of citizens currently being detained.

This year's dinner also comes amid a media industry reckoning. The state of the economy, fears of a recession and dried up investment capital have played a large part in what's driven the dramatic industry changes over the last several months. But other struggles, like high-profile legal issues and ratings woes, have also been apparent.

In just the last two weeks, the media industry has been in the grips of high-profile terminations, layoffs and the complete shut down of a news organization.

Host Tucker Carlson and Fox News severed ties. Anchor Don Lemon and CNN parted ways. Comcast announced NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell was leaving company after an outside investigation "into a complaint of inappropriate conduct." Vice Media announced layoffs and the cancellation of its acclaimed program "Vice News Tonight." Buzzfeed News shut down.

This year's dinner headliner is "Daily Show" correspondent Roy Wood Jr., who told CNN on Friday that his goal is to leave Saturday evening's event with his job intact.

Still, he plans to pull no punches in critiquing the power brokers of Washington during his comedic remarks, telling "CNN This Morning," "I got to talk about everything this week — there was a lot of stuff that happened this week ... and those things have to be discussed in a fair way."

"Trust me, I'm not going to lose my job. I'm not trying to get in trouble — the most important part of the correspondent's dinner is to leave employed," he added.

In 2018, comedian Michelle Wolf drew fire after she delivered a brutal monologue taking the Trump administration to task for its positions on abortion, press access and coverage of the beleaguered White House.

This year's dinner comes weeks after Biden signed legislation to end the national emergency for COVID-19. Attendees are still required to submit proof of a negative COVID test before the event.

Last year's dinner was the first time the gala had been held since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biden was the first president to address the dinner's attendees in six years after former President Donald Trump famously boycotted the event throughout his tenure in office.

Biden last year used the appearance to loudly affirm his belief in a free press — a bold contrast to a predecessor who labeled reporters the "enemy of the people."

The man accused of crashing a U-Haul truck into a security barrier near the White House Monday night praised Adolf Hitler to investigators after his arrest and said that he aimed to “kill the President” if necessary to overthrow the government and install himself in power, according to court documents.

Sai Varshith Kandula, 19, of Chesterfield, Missouri, is in custody and has been charged in federal court with one count of depredation of property of the United States in excess of $1,000. US Park Police originally arrested Kandula on several charges, including threatening to kill or harm a president, vice president or family member. It’s possible that prosecutors add additional charges as the case progresses.

Kandula, in handcuffs and wearing a t-shirt and shorts, appeared in DC Superior Court Tuesday afternoon, US Park Police told CNN, and was held in custody without bail. He has not yet entered a formal plea in federal court – where his case is expected to continue with an initial appearance on the single charge Wednesday – and a lawyer for him in that case has not yet been named publicly.

The Secret Service said no agency or White House personnel were injured in the incident.

The truck, which carried a Nazi flag among other items, crashed into security barriers on the north side of Lafayette Square at 16th Street just before 10 p.m. ET, the US Secret Service said. A preliminary investigation revealed the driver may have intentionally struck the barrier, the agency later said.

Kandula made threatening comments regarding the White House at the scene, including that he wanted to kidnap and harm President Joe Biden, law enforcement sources told CNN. Authorities are considering the role mental health may have played in this incident, one source said.

In court documents unsealed Tuesday, investigators said that a US Park Police officer saw Kandula drive up onto the sidewalk and into metal barriers, sending several pedestrians running. When the truck failed to go through the barriers, Kandula allegedly backed up before striking the barriers a second time.

After the crash, Kandula allegedly removed the flag “from a black backpack he was carrying.”

In an interview after the arrest, investigators asked Kandula about the Nazi flag he displayed after the crash. The 19-year-old said he bought the flag because “Nazi’s have a great history,” adding that he admires their “authoritarian nature, Eugenics, and their one world order,” according to court documents. Investigators wrote that “when asked if he looks up to any leaders, Kandula answered ‘Hitler, because he was a strong leader.’”

Kandula told officers that he had been planning the attack for six months and had flown to Washington from St. Louis earlier that evening, according to court documents.

Prosecutors said Kandula also told officers that he aimed to “get to the White House, seize power, and be put in charge of the nation,” and was prepared to “kill the President if that’s what I have to do and would hurt anyone that would stand in my way.”

The White House said Biden was not in danger during the incident. National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby told CNN’s Kate Bolduan that it was “difficult to know for sure” what the suspect’s motivations were and that the incident was still being investigated.

Video taken by a witness showed the 26-foot moving truck stopped on the sidewalk near Lafayette Square before the driver accelerates and crashes into a set of security bollards that ring the White House complex to prevent unauthorized vehicular traffic.

After the crash, the truck was searched by bomb technicians and no explosives or incendiary devices were found, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told CNN.

Video from CNN affiliate WUSA shows a remotely operated police robot approaching the rear of the truck and lifting the cargo door, followed by an FBI bomb technician who inspected the vehicle. A Park Police officer was later seen taking inventory of the U-Haul truck, packing up several pieces of evidence.

The incident prompted road closures as authorities investigated the crash, and the nearby Hay-Adams hotel was evacuated at the request of the Secret Service, a hotel employee told CNN. The hotel guests and employees were allowed back in when police deemed it safe a short time later.

The FBI’s National Capital Response Squad is assisting Park Police and the Secret Service in the investigation.

Agents from the U.S. Secret Service and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force Tuesday executed a federal search warrant at Kandula’s Missouri home, according to a federal law enforcement official. They searched for notes, computers or any evidence of planning that led up to or motive behind Monday’s events.

Former high school classmates of Kandula described him as quiet and someone who didn’t get into trouble.

Errion Barfield, a former classmate of Kandula’s at Marquette High School, described him as a “good dude” who “never got in trouble” and “never made a scene in school.”

WASHINGTON —

The driver of a U-Haul who crashed into a security barrier in Lafayette Square near the White House Monday night was arrested on multiple charges, including threatening to kill or harm a president, vice president or family member, according to U.S. Park Police.

The truck crashed into security barriers on the north side of Lafayette Square at 16th Street just before 10 p.m., and officers detained the driver, the U.S. Secret Service said.

There were no injuries reported to any Secret Service or White House personnel, spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement.

A preliminary investigation revealed the driver – who has not been publicly identified – may have intentionally struck the barrier, the Secret Service later said.

While authorities have not provided specific details on the alleged threat, the U.S. Park Police said the man faces the charge of threatening to kill, kidnap or inflict harm on a President, vice president or family member.

The driver was also arrested on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, destruction of federal property and trespassing, according to the Park Police.

After the crash, the truck was searched by bomb technicians and no explosives or incendiary devices were found, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told CNN.

Video from CNN affiliate WUSA shows a Park Police officer taking inventory of the U-Haul truck, packing up several pieces of evidence. Among the items that appear to be from the truck are a flag of what appears to be a swastika, a black backpack and a roll of duct tape.

The incident prompted road closures as authorities investigated the crash, and the nearby Hay-Adams hotel was evacuated at the request of the Secret Service, a hotel employee told CNN. The hotel guests and employees were allowed back in when police deemed it safe a short time later.

The FBI’s National Capital Response Squad is assisting Park Police and the Secret Service in the investigation.

SALT LAKE CITY — Messages obtained by CNN show texts between Utah Sen. Mike Lee and President Donald Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows in which the two discuss the administration's attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

On Dec. 8, 2020, Lee floated the idea of some states sending Electoral College delegates contrary to the verified ballot counts.

"If a very small handful of states were to have their legislatures appoint alternative slates of delegates, there could be a path," Lee wrote.

But almost a month later on Jan. 3, 2021, Lee expressed frustration with the president.

"I don’t think the president is grasping the distinction between what we can do and what he would like us to do," expressed Lee, who also sent the following message:

"Again, all of this could change if the states in question certified Trump electors pursuant to state law. But in the absence of that, this effort is destined not only to fail, but to hurt DJT in the process."

The very next day, Trump seemingly responded to Lee's texts at a rally the two attended in Georgia.

“Mike Lee is here too, but I am a little angry at him today,” the former president said.

Trump's comment drew a text response to Meadows from Lee.

"I’ve been spending 14 hours a day for the last week trying to unravel this for him. To have him take a shot at me like that in such a public setting without even asking me about it is pretty discouraging," messaged Lee. "It’s not your fault. But I’ve been calling state legislators for hours today, and am going to spend hours doing the same tomorrow. I’m trying to figure out a path that I can persuasively defend, and this won’t make it any easier."

Lee, who faces reelection this year, did not personally respond to the texts, but his office sent a statement.

"The text messages tell the same story Sen. Lee told from the floor of the senate the day he voted to certify the election results of each and every state in the nation. They tell the story of a U.S. senator fulfilling his duty to Utah and the American people by following the Constitution," his office said.

The main candidates running against Lee reacted to the story.

"It's sad to read that. I want senators from either party to put country ahead of partisan divides and in this case, it looks like he literally wants to be Trump's lawyer," said Kael Weston. "It's sad. It's not right."

In a tweet, challenger Evan McMullen called Lee’s actions a spurious legal effort to overturn the 2020 election.

This article was written by John Franchi for KSTU.

WASHINGTON — White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Friday reiterated that the Biden administration remains resistant for now on banning Russian oil imports, raising concerns that such a ban could have a negative impact for U.S. and European economies. She added, however, that the administration was “looking at options we could take right now to cut U.S. consumption of Russian energy,”

Psaki also called on Russian forces to withdraw from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southeastern Ukraine. Russian troops seized the plant earlier Friday.

“The best step for nuclear safety would be for Russia to immediately withdraw,” Psaki said.

Officials from the U.N. and Ukraine said no radiation was released from the Russian attack at Europe's largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine, and firefighters have extinguished a blaze at the facility.

The fire at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Enerhodar was extinguished early on Friday morning, hours after Russian forces began shelling the facility.

The International Atomic Energy Agency's director-general said Friday the building hit by a Russian "projectile" at the plant was "not part of the reactor" but instead a training center at the plant.

Nuclear officials from Sweden to China also said no radiation spikes had been reported.

The fire at the plant sparked fears of the 1986 nuclear disaster at the Soviet-run Chernobyl plant in Ukraine. Even though the nuclear plant is of a different design than Chernobyl and is protected from fire, nuclear safety experts and the International Atomic Energy Agency warn that waging war in and around such facilities presents extreme risks.