Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, a frequent critic of former U.S. President Donald Trump, is facing growing political pressure after his wife, Begoña Gómez, was formally charged with influence peddling and bribery following a yearslong investigation that has shaken Spain’s political landscape.

Judge Juan Carlos Peinado issued the charges in a ruling published Monday, clearing the way for Gómez to stand trial. The government has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

The case adds to the strain on Sánchez as his Socialist-led minority government contends with multiple corruption probes and accusations of politically motivated attacks ahead of a general election next year, where opposition parties are expected to highlight the controversy.

Justice Minister Félix Bolaños acknowledged the impact of the investigation, stating it has “embarrassed many citizens and judges” and warning that the damage to Spain’s justice system “will, in many respects, be irreparable.”

Sánchez briefly considered stepping down in 2024 after Gómez was first placed under formal investigation, taking five days to weigh his future before ultimately remaining in office. He has consistently dismissed the allegations as baseless and politically driven.

The case stems from a complaint filed by an anti-corruption group with far-right ties, using a Spanish legal mechanism that allows private parties to initiate criminal investigations.

Meanwhile, Sánchez’s brother is also under scrutiny in a separate investigation involving alleged influence peddling related to his hiring by a regional government. He has similarly rejected the probe as politically motivated.

Gómez is currently in China alongside Sánchez, who began a visit Monday by urging China to use its global influence to help bring an end to the wars in Iran and Ukraine.

Vice President JD Vance addressed a violent downtown altercation that went viral on social media over the weekend.

Vance was in northeast Ohio on Monday promoting President Donald Trump’s tax cuts and budget proposal, often referred to as the “one big, beautiful bill.”

During a press conference, he was asked about the incident, which involved a large group attacking three individuals. Videos of the altercation circulated widely online, drawing reactions from figures including Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno and Elon Musk.

“There was a group of people who attacked a couple folks on the street in Cincinnati. Senator Bernie Marino, some others have spoken out about it, have been critical of it,” a reporter asked.

“OK, OK, yes, yes. So what I saw, and I haven’t seen the full context, but what I saw is a mob of lawless thugs beating up on an innocent person, and it’s disgusting. And I hope every single one of those people who engage in violence is prosecuted to the full extent of the law. And they will be. They will be so long as law enforcement in the state of Ohio takes their job seriously,” Vance began.

“I know Dave Yost cares a lot about these things. But yeah, I actually, you’re right, Bernie did send me a clip of this, and we talked a little bit about it. I don’t know the full context. I don’t know how the fight started. But the one part that I saw that was really gruesome is you had a grown man who sucker-punched a middle-aged woman. And where I come from, at least, when you have a grown man who sucker punches a middle-aged woman, that person ought to go to jail for a very long time,” Vance declared.

“And frankly, he’s lucky there weren’t some better people around because they would have handled it themselves. But if they’re not going to handle it, the cops in Cincinnati, the law enforcement, you’ve got to prosecute people. We’ve had way too much lawlessness on the streets of great American cities. How many of you all have wanted to go to downtown Akron or downtown Canton or downtown Columbus for a meal, but you’re worried because the local authorities in these big cities have allowed lawlessness to run wild?” he added.

Vance continued, “We have got to make great American cities safe again for families and children. If you want to take your wife or your children out for a meal, you shouldn’t be worried about street violence. And the only way to destroy that street violence is to take the thugs who engage in that violence and throw their a**es in prison.”

Five individuals have been charged in connection with the incident, which occurred on a Cincinnati street and gained widespread attention after video footage surfaced online.

Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge confirmed that charges had been filed and indicated that additional arrests may follow.

“We have five we have charged, and anticipate more,” Theetge told reporters Monday, referring to the early Saturday morning incident she described as a “fight.”

Video circulating online appears to show a group assaulting a man on the ground, while a woman attempting to intervene was struck and knocked unconscious.

Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said he spoke with the woman involved, identifying her as a mother named Holly. He said she told him that “not a single local or state official had yet reached out” to her aside from “one police detective.”

“She’s a single working mom who went to a friend’s birthday party,” he said. “It’s unconscionable that there were no police present in that area of Cincinnati on a Friday night, or even an ambulance to take her to the hospital.”

Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police President Ken Kober told WLWT that the victims sustained “pretty serious injuries” and would be “recovering from this for a while.”

Violent crime dropped sharply across the largest cities in the United States in 2025, a development supporters say reflects President Donald Trump’s focus on restoring law and order nationwide.

Trump entered office pledging to improve public safety following years marked by rising crime and policy debates over policing during the administration of former President Joe Biden. According to newly released data, every major category of violent crime declined in 2025 compared to the previous year: robberies fell by 20%, aggravated assaults dropped by nearly 10%, and murders decreased by 19%.

The White House highlighted the figures in a statement online.

“These gains build on earlier reports showing America’s cities are now safer than they’ve been in over a century under President Trump’s leadership. The murder rate in the nation’s biggest cities has fallen to its lowest level in at least 125 years — marking the largest single-year drop in recorded history. Beyond murders, the nation also saw dramatic reductions in rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults, shooting deaths (fewest since 2015), on-duty law enforcement officer deaths (80-year low), traffic fatalities, and overdose deaths,” the post noted.

It added, “This is the direct result of President Trump’s aggressive, no-nonsense approach to public safety. By surging federal resources to Democrat-run cities that had devolved into war zones, removing savage criminal illegals from our streets, supporting police and prosecutors, and rejecting the Radical Left’s weakness, President Trump’s decisive actions have turned the tide, saved countless lives, and restored peace to communities long abandoned by Democrat politicians who prioritized criminals over citizens.”

A report from the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA), which includes data from 67 of the nation’s largest police departments, also found year-over-year declines across all major violent crime categories in 2025.

Cities reported that homicides fell 19% overall, robberies dropped about 20%, and aggravated assaults declined by nearly 10%.

An analysis of the MCCA data found that several Southern and Sun Belt cities recorded some of the most significant improvements. Florida cities Orlando and Tampa each saw homicide declines of more than 50%.

Western cities such as Denver, Seattle, Honolulu, and Albuquerque also reported notable reductions. Many of these cities had experienced sharp increases in crime during the pandemic period and are now seeing significant reversals.

Other major metropolitan areas showed similar trends. Chicago and Baltimore each experienced roughly a 30% drop in homicides, while Memphis and Portland saw declines of about 25%.

“After record high crime across the country under Biden’s defund the police era, the murder rate has plunged to a 125-year low as crime falls across the board, according to new data,” the White House said.

The administration also pointed to increased federal support for Washington, D.C., as a contributing factor to improvements in the nation’s capital.

Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel recently discussed what he described as a record-setting year for the bureau during an appearance on Fox News. He noted that six individuals from the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list were apprehended within a single year.

Patel contrasted current operations with prior years, emphasizing a shift in focus.

“The simple juxtaposition is that there was a weaponized bureau, a politicized bureau to go after political targets including President Trump and myself, versus the bureau of today that goes based on law and facts and works with our prosecutors,” Patel said.

He added that approximately 1,000 additional agents have been deployed to focus on violent crime and fugitive apprehension.

“These agents are working around the clock and around the world to bring justice,” Patel said.

“That is why you see these record numbers. Six top 10 captures in one year, which has never been done before, and we’re just getting started,” he added.