Trump faces two defeats as top Republican allies withdraw support

A former U.S. president who long shaped the nation’s political landscape has suffered two significant setbacks within a few days, according to a report by BBC correspondent Anthony Zurcher. The first loss came on Tuesday when a federal judge in Washington, D.C., denied the former president’s request to block the release of thousands of classified documents seized from his Mar‑a‑Lago residence, ordering that the material be turned over to the National Archives. The ruling, issued by Judge Aileen Cannon, rejected the president’s claim of executive privilege and affirmed that the documents remain subject to ongoing investigations.

The second defeat followed on Thursday, when a civil jury in New York found the former president liable for defamation in a lawsuit brought by a former campaign aide, awarding the plaintiff $5 million in damages. The case, which centered on statements made during the 2020 election cycle, marked the first time a jury had ruled against the ex‑president in a defamation claim. Together, the judicial outcomes underscore a shift in the legal challenges facing the former leader, highlighting the increasing scrutiny of his actions while he remains a prominent figure in American politics.